anchovy

[ an-choh-vee, -chuh-, an-choh-vee ]

/ ˈæn tʃoʊ vi, -tʃə-, ænˈtʃoʊ vi /

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noun, plural an·cho·vies.

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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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

Words nearby anchovy

anchor span, anchor watch, anchorwoman, anchory, anchoveta, anchovy, anchovy pear, anchusa, anchusin, anchylose, anchylostomiasis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use anchovy in a sentence

Because I didn’t have kelp or dried anchovies for the stock, I used almost an entire tube’s worth of anchovy paste and two large sheets of nori.
Six Recipes That Got Us Through Another Week|Eater Staff|March 19, 2021|Eater
Instead, we learn that Will Ferrell is really angry with Norway, and he wants to prank the nation of more than five million by sending them all anchovy pizzas.
Why are General Motors and Will Ferrell trolling Norway?|Jonathan M. Gitlin|February 11, 2021|Ars Technica
Sometimes I throw in a few anchovy filets or whole cloves of garlic if I’m feeling fancy.
The Recipes We Cooked Again and Again and Again in 2020|Eater Staff|December 30, 2020|Eater
Swordfish, snapper, mahi mahi, mackerel, sardines, squid, and anchovies are all tainted by slavery.
The New Wave of Fishless Fish Is Here|Rowan Jacobsen|November 24, 2020|Outside Online

Today’s anchovies feast mostly on tiny organisms called plankton.
Saber-toothed anchovy relatives were once fearsome hunters|Carolyn Wilke|June 11, 2020|Science News For Students
Roasted Cauliflower with Anchovy Bread Crumbs It is important to note that this dish does not have an anchovy flavor.
Sam Sifton’s Thanksgiving Recipes|Sam Sifton|November 20, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Plus Sifton shares two of his favorite recipes: cranberry sauce and roasted cauliflower with anchovy bread crumps.
Sam Sifton’s Thanksgiving Tips|Katie Baker|November 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
On first glance, it would appear to be just another image of the Palestinian Arab luring the dog with anchovy paste.
The Crime of Kufr Qaddoum: An EmergencyStandWithDavidMonitor Animal Rights Division Expose|Eli Valley|March 29, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Pan-Roasted Asparagus With Fried Eggs and Anchovy Bread Crumbs.
Fresh Picks|Jamie Bissonnette|August 24, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Lay in the anchovy fillets, and place over very low heat until they melt, falling apart when the pan is shaken.
Alice Waters’ Favorite Vineyard|Sophie Menin|August 14, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The anchovy has a fine and peculiar flavour, and is eaten as a delicacy all over Europe.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
A teaspoonful of anchovies dissolved in it makes anchovy sauce.
A Course of Lectures on the Principles of Domestic Economy and Cookery|Juliet Corson
The simplest way to prepare this is to toast white bread cut in strips, then spread each with butter and essence of anchovy.
Suppers|Paul Pierce
In using cold beef, a teaspoon anchovy essence or paste is an improvement, and to mutton a teaspoon mushroom catsup.
My Pet Recipes, Tried and True|Various
Have nicely cut hot buttered toast, with a little anchovy paste.
My Pet Recipes, Tried and True|Various

British Dictionary definitions for anchovy

anchovy

/ (ˈæntʃəvɪ) /

noun plural -vies or -vy

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

Word Origin for anchovy

C16: from Spanish anchoa, perhaps ultimately from Greek aphuē small fish

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012