noun
- young salmon that have developed silvery scales and are ready to migrate from fresh water to the sea
Usage: biology; plural of smolt
Examples
- The smolts began their journey downstream to the ocean in early spring.
- Biologists tagged hundreds of smolts to track their migration patterns.
- The dam created obstacles for smolts trying to reach the sea.
- Smolts undergo physiological changes that allow them to survive in salt water.
- The hatchery released thousands of smolts into the river system.
- Scientists studied how smolts adapt from freshwater to marine environments.