anchovy

American  

[an-choh-vee, -chuh-, an-choh-vee] / ˈæn tʃoʊ vi, -tʃə-, ænˈtʃoʊ vi /

noun

anchovies plural

1. any small, marine, herringlike fish of the family Engraulidae, especially Engraulis encrasicholus, found in the Mediterranean Sea, often preserved in oil and used in salads, spreads, etc., or packaged in paste form.

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anchovy British  

/ ˈæntʃəvɪ /

noun

1. any of various small marine food fishes of the genus Engraulis and related genera, esp E. encrasicolus of S Europe: family Clupeidae (herrings). They have a salty taste and are often tinned or made into a paste or essence

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• anchovies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of anchovy

1590–1600; < French or Ibero-Romance < Genoese anchua, anchova < Vulgar Latin *apiu ( v ) a, variant of Latin apua (Pliny) < Greek aphýē fry of various fishes

Explanation

An anchovy is a very small, silvery fish. People who eat anchovies enjoy their strong, fishy flavor. While you can buy fresh anchovies from many fish markets, they're most commonly sold packed in small tins, covered in salt and oil. Fishermen often use anchovies as bait for larger fish as well. Even people who don't think they like anchovies are sometimes familiar with the taste, as they're used in Caesar salad dressing and Worcestershire sauce. Anchovy comes from the Portuguese anchova, possibly from the Latin apua, "small fish."

Example Sentences

“My absolute favorite is Ca Com, the banh mi shop from the Anchovy team. They break down whole pigs in their hatted kitchen next door to make the jungle sausage in my favorite order.”

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2025

And now it’s a handsome, hardcover book from Debra’s own Anchovy Hill Press: “The Corona Diaries: Sketches From 400 Days of the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

From Washington Post • Mar. 13, 2023

He opened the Manhattan bar Porchlight in 2015, followed by Cedric’s at the Shed and Anchovy Social, a rooftop bar in Washington, D.C.

From New York Times • Mar. 7, 2022

Mr. Meyer, whose Union Square Hospitality Group includes Gramercy Taven in New York and Anchovy Social in Washington, is betting the requirement on customers will draw people in because they will feel safe.

From Washington Times • Jul. 29, 2021

"There's Anchovy Paste—" "Broke down before and behind."

From Davenport Dunn, Volume 1 (of 2) A Man Of Our Day by Lever, Charles James