pilchard

[ pil-cherd ]

noun
  1. a small, southern European, marine fish, Sardina pilchardus, related to the herring but smaller and rounder.

  2. any of several related fishes, as Sardinops caeruleus, common off the California coast.

Origin of pilchard

1
First recorded in 1520–30; earlier pilcher; origin uncertain

Words Nearby pilchard

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How to use pilchard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pilchard

pilchard

/ (ˈpɪltʃəd) /


noun
  1. a European food fish, Sardina (or Clupea) pilchardus, with a rounded body covered with large scales: family Clupeidae (herrings)

  2. a related fish, Sardinops neopilchardus, of S Australian waters

Origin of pilchard

1
C16: pylcher, of obscure origin

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