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

Noun Inflected Forms

• 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

See Examples For:

anchovy anchovies

Heat also fuels toxic algae blooms containing domoic acid, which contaminate the anchovy and sardine populations.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

First devised in 1828 by English grocer John Osborn, Gentleman’s Relish is a punchy blend of mashed anchovy fillets, butter and a secret blend of spices and herbs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

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

Over the past 10 years, the amount of squid caught in South Korean waters each year has plummeted 92%, while anchovy catches have fallen by 46%.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025

She cut a recipe out of the Baltimore Sun, pasta with walnuts and anchovy sauce.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

It features whole leaves of romaine lettuce massaged by hand with a dressing of fresh garlic, lime, Worcestershire, soft-poached eggs and Cantabrian anchovies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The warming of the ocean surface is forcing anchovies and sardines -- which the mammals eat -- to seek cooler waters, either at deeper levels or farther north.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Originally from Nice, the classic salade Niçoise has just a handful of local ingredients, including tomatoes, anchovies and seasonal greens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

During El Niño, less cold, nutrient rich water comes to the surface, reducing food availability for marine species such as anchovies.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

It was the same man who had given Cat and Harriet the anchovies.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn