sardine
1 Americannoun
plural
sardine,plural
sardines-
the pilchard, Sardina pilchardus, often preserved in oil and used for food.
-
any of various similar, closely related fishes of the herring family Clupeidae.
noun
noun
-
any of various small marine food fishes of the herring family, esp a young pilchard See also sild
-
very closely crowded together
noun
Etymology
Origin of sardine1
1400–50; late Middle English sardeine < Middle French sardine < Latin sardīna, derivative of sarda sardine, noun use of feminine of Sardus Sardinian
Origin of sardine2
1300–50; Middle English (< Late Latin sardīnus ) < Greek sárdinos sardius
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A prominent member of the association of victims' families, Maria Karystianou, told reporters that relatives had been "packed like sardines".
From Barron's
A few fishermen cast for sardines into the dark waters of the oceanfront city.
From Barron's
“I could use a sardine sandwich,” she said.
From Literature
“Packed in like sardines,” Tess says, our knees bumping against one another in the small cab.
From Literature
The worst was what they called kapenta, a kind of tiny sardine.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
