branzino

American  

[bron-zee-noh] / brɒnˈzi noʊ /

noun

• branzinos
  plural

1. a silvery sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, found in the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• branzinos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of branzino

First recorded in 1915–20; from Venetian Italian: literally, “sea bass,” from Venetian Italian brancin “claw”, from branza “spine, claw” (from the appearance of the operculum) + -ino -ine ¹ ( def. ). Further etymology is uncertain: branza may come from Classical Latin branchia branchia ( def. ), or from Vulgar Latin brancia (unattested) and may perhaps be related to Late Latin branca “paw”; see branch ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does branzino compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• branzino vs. sea bass

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

branzino branzinos

The dry-aged grilled branzino was flaky and beautifully cooked, but the standout was the chicken al pastor, served with a fresh pineapple salad and pineapple butter—bright, savory, and just a little indulgent.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

Slow-roasted bone marrow, branzino laced with herbs, the kind of flavors that made us lean in and feed each other.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2026

I often use branzino for this, but any whole fish weighing about a pound will cook in a similar timeframe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026

With a bigger kitchen in Kirkland’s historical Webb Building, Donnelly will run an expanded menu: Dungeness crab with fried garlic, whole roasted branzino, sesame-crusted yellowfin tuna and an oyster bar.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2024

“It’s not an actual business,” Elucid said over plates of branzino and cavatelli in Queens.

From New York Times ● Sep. 26, 2023

Today, I'll serve a few whole branzinos; I stuff them with lemons, capers and tomatoes for a bright and simple take on the tradition.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2022

We raided the fridge together for the perishables, loading bags with short rib, broccolini, whole branzinos, and panna cotta.

From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2020