any eellike marine or freshwater fish of the order Petromyzoniformes, having a circular, suctorial mouth with horny teeth for boring into the flesh of other fishes to feed on their blood.
c.1200, from O.Fr. lampreie, from M.L. lampreda, from L.L. lampetra "lamprey," probably lit. "lick-rock," from L. lambere "to lick" + petra "rock." The animals attach themselves to things with their sucker-like mouths.
[lam-pree] 
