characin

American  

[kar-uh-sin] / ˈkær ə sɪn /

Or characid

noun

1. any freshwater fish of the family Characidae, of Africa and Central and South America.

---

characin British  

/ ˈkærəsɪn /

noun

1. any small carnivorous freshwater cyprinoid fish of the family Characidae, of Central and South America and Africa. They are similar to the carps but more brightly coloured

---

Etymology

Origin of characin

1880–85; < New Latin Characinidae name of family, equivalent to Characin ( us ) the genus ( charac- (< Greek charak-, stem of chárax pointed stake, a sea fish) + -inus -in ¹ ) + -idae -idae