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.
lam·prey (lām'prē) n.
pl.lam·preys Any of various primitive elongated freshwater or anadromous fishes of the family Petromyzontidae, characteristically having a jawless sucking mouth with rasping teeth. Also called lamper eel.
[Middle English lamprei, from Old French lampreie, from Medieval Latin lamprēda.]
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.