herring

American  

[her-ing] / ˈhɛr ɪŋ /

noun

plural

herring,

plural

herrings

1. an important food fish, Clupea harengus harengus, found in enormous shoals in the North Atlantic.

2. a similar fish, Clupea harengus pallasii, of the North Pacific.

3. any fish of the family Clupeidae, including herrings, shads, and sardines.

4. any of various fishes resembling the herring but of unrelated families.

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herring British  

/ ˈhɛrɪŋ /

noun

1. any marine soft-finned teleost fish of the family Clupeidae, esp Clupea harengus, an important food fish of northern seas, having an elongated body covered, except in the head region, with large fragile silvery scales

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herring Idioms  

1. see dead as a doornail (herring); red herring.

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Other Word Forms

• herringlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of herring

before 900; Middle English hering, Old English hǣring; cognate with German Häring

Explanation

A herring is a small, silver fish. Most herring that's caught for food is prepared by being smoked, salted, or pickled. The majority of herring is caught in the Atlantic, though the fish is found in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. Because it's very high in the famously healthy Omega-3 fats, herring is considered a healthful fish for people to eat. Herrings is also used as bait for catching larger fish. Although the source of the word herring is uncertain, many experts see a link to the Old English har, or "gray."

Example Sentences

"Maybe I did it wrong, and I will absolutely throw my hands up in the air," Herring admits, before adding jokingly that, either way, it "may die a fiery death".

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

You can pair them with Borscht either hot or cold, Kasha Varnishkas or Beet, Apple & Herring Salad, all parts of the American-Jewish canon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

It’s just a short walk from the bus to a raised wooden boardwalk that winds above grassy wetlands and runs alongside Herring Creek — which, when we visited, was absolutely teeming with jumping, spawning salmon.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2025

When Herring made the neighborhood rounds with his team one Wednesday in late March, he stopped at every block to greet old friends passing by.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2025

Iowa senator Clyde Herring announced that he planned to introduce a bill in the U.S.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow