What does cunner mean?
The cunner is a small marine fish of the wrasse family, Tautogolabrus adspersus, native to the western North Atlantic. It is common along the Atlantic coast of North America, particularly from Newfoundland south to Chesapeake Bay, where it inhabits rocky bottoms, ledges, and areas around wharves and pilings. Typically reaching about twenty-five centimeters in length, it has a stout body, large scales, and greenish or brownish mottled coloration. The species is also widely known by the alternative name bergall, especially in New England. Cunners are opportunistic feeders that eat crustaceans, mollusks, and other small invertebrates, and they are frequently caught incidentally by anglers seeking more prized bottom fish. Though not commercially important as a food species, they are sometimes eaten fresh and are valued for their hardiness. The word is chiefly regional, appearing most often in fishing contexts along the northeastern seaboard rather than in general vocabulary.
nounA small marine fish (Tautogolabrus adspersus) of the wrasse family, common on rocky bottoms along the Atlantic coast of North America; also called the bergall.
- A small North Atlantic wrasse (Tautogolabrus adspersus), also called the bergall, common on rocky coasts of eastern North America.
"The angler hauled in a cunner from the pilings and admired its mottled greenish scales before releasing it."
"Fishermen working the breakwater caught scup, sea robins, and an assortment of cunner."
"The cunner is a hardy fish, often found hovering near wharf pilings and rocky ledges."
Standard plural; like many fish names, 'cunner' may also be used collectively when referring to multiple fish of the species.
"The tide pools were swarming with cunners darting between the rocks."
The humble cunner is one of the few fish known to seek out divers — curious enough to hover right up to your mask.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cunner
The origin of the word cunner is obscure. It has been recorded in English since at least the early nineteenth century in reference to this Atlantic fish, though some sources suggest earlier use. Its ultimate derivation is uncertain, and no secure cognates in other languages can be confidently cited.
How cunner is actually used
Chiefly used in regional contexts — especially among fishermen along the northeastern US Atlantic coast — where the alternate name 'bergall' is equally common. Outside these regions the word is rare.
Easily confused with cunner
A conger is a large eel, while a cunner is a small wrasse-like fish of the North Atlantic.