Stick'le-băck, n.

noun

n. [O. & Prov. Eng. stickle, a prickle, spine, sting, and back; D. stekel-vischje, Ger. stachelfisch, Norw. stikling. Cf. BANSTICKLE.] (Ichth.) A small fish of the genus Gasterosteus;—so called from the spines which arm their back, ventral fins, and other parts. [Written also stickle-bag.]

An engraved illustration of a stickleback fish. — Stickleback.