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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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

Last year, Rainbow Tomatoes Garden, a family-owned business that claims to offer the world’s largest online selection of tinned fish, paused shipping of its salt-cured anchovy fillets.

From Salon • May 28, 2026

“It had sardines, I believe, anchovy, tuna, and prawns on it,” Skimehorn said.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

We begin with a gilda, a tiny skewer of anchovy, olive, pickled pepper and a platter of cured meats and cheeses.

From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025

"The future looks very bleak," said the anchovy fisherman Captain Park, now in his late 40s.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

In her view, monumental buildings implied a large resident population, but again there were plenty of anchovy bones and little evidence that locals farmed anything but cotton.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann