anchovy

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

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.

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for anchovy

Contemporary Examples of anchovy

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
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
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
Pan-Roasted Asparagus With Fried Eggs and Anchovy Bread Crumbs.
Fresh Picks
Jamie Bissonnette
August 24, 2011
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

Historical Examples of anchovy

Fillet a sole and interlard each piece with a bit of anchovy.
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:
Mrs. W. G. Waters
Garnish each fillet with a Spanish olive stuffed with anchovy.
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:
Mrs. W. G. Waters
Put them in the soup and add the anchovy sauce and lemon juice.
The Skilful Cook
Mary Harrison
Essence of anchovy is made sometimes with sherry, or madeira, instead of water, or with the addition of mushroom ketchup.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,
Mary Eaton
Add to it the mixture already prepared, give it a boil, and flavour it with a very small quantity of the essence of anchovy.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,
Mary Eaton

British Dictionary definitions for anchovy

anchovy

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

Word Origin and History for anchovy

1590s, from Portuguese anchova, from Genoese or Corsican dialect, perhaps ultimately from either Latin apua "small fish" (from Greek aphye "small fry") [Gamillscheg, Diez], or from Basque anchu "dried fish," from anchuva "dry" [Klein, citing Mahn].