minnow
a small, European cyprinoid fish, Phoxinus phoxinus.
any other fish of the family Cyprinidae, including the carps, goldfishes, and daces.
any of various unrelated, small fishes.
a person or thing that is comparatively small or insignificant: With just six electoral votes up for grabs, the Midwestern swing state of Iowa is a mere minnow compared to giants like Florida and Ohio.
Also called cryp·to min·now [krip-toh min-oh] /ˈkrɪp toʊ ˌmɪn oʊ/ . an investor who holds a small amount of cryptocurrency and is therefore unlikely to make transactions that have a significant effect on prices: In the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, minnows still play a crucial role in decentralizing ownership and participation in the industry.: Compare whale1 (def. 3).
Origin of minnow
1Words Nearby minnow
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use minnow in a sentence
They got to touch a beached jellyfish before dragging a net through the water to capture a glistening, flip-flopping mass of minnows.
On Virginia’s Chincoteague Island — all this and ponies, too | Nevin Martell | September 2, 2021 | Washington PostIt’s still early days, and it’s barely a minnow next to the wind and solar sharks in the current sea of renewables—but osmotic energy is gaining traction.
Estuaries could power us to a low-carbon future | Claire Maldarelli | June 23, 2021 | Popular-ScienceThe online environment for Switch games is a minnow among sharks.
Nintendo Switch review: Great for games at home or on the go, and that might be enough | Billy Cadden | June 19, 2021 | Popular-Science"They are using a whale to catch a minnow," said defense attorney Charles Swift.
“They are using a whale to catch a minnow,” said defense attorney Charles Swift.
The minnow bites freely in fine weather, and you may take almost as many as you please by angling for them.
The Teesdale Angler | R LakelandShould rain fall at this season, after the water has been low for some time, Trout will take a minnow exceedingly well.
The Teesdale Angler | R LakelandThe former is styled the Archimedean, the latter the Phantom minnow, which collapses when struck by a fish.
The Teesdale Angler | R LakelandCourtiers of forty years' standing, and such I may write myself, are as far to seek in the matter as a minnow in the Maelstrom.
The Fortunes of Nigel | Sir Walter ScottThey permit trolling with angels, or phantoms, or the natural minnow.
Angling Sketches | Andrew Lang
British Dictionary definitions for minnow
/ (ˈmɪnəʊ) /
a small slender European freshwater cyprinid fish, Phoxinus phoxinus
any other small cyprinid
angling a spinning lure imitating a minnow
a small or insignificant person
Origin of minnow
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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