whitefish

American  

[hwahyt-fish, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˌfɪʃ, ˈwaɪt- /

noun

plural

whitefish,

plural

whitefishes

1. any of several fishes of the family Coregonidae, inhabiting northern waters of North America and Eurasia, similar to the trout but having a smaller mouth and larger scales.

2. a marine food fish of California, Caulolatilus princeps.

3. any of various silvery fishes of the minnow or carp family.

4. the beluga, Delphinapterus leucas.

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whitefish British  

/ ˈwaɪtˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any herring-like salmonoid food fish of the genus Coregonus and family Coregonidae, typically of deep cold lakes of the N hemisphere, having large silvery scales and a small head

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Etymology

Origin of whitefish

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; see origin at white, fish

Example Sentences

I usually get the beet salad, the truffle fries and the mac and cheese and then the blackened whitefish, which isn’t really that exciting.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2023

Harvey Averne begins most days with a bialy and whitefish salad.

From New York Times • Jun. 13, 2023

Most whitefish off the East coast are in a catch share.

From Salon • Jan. 1, 2023

Caroffino said tribal crews’ need for gill netting has risen with the collapse of whitefish populations, which have suffered as invasive quagga mussels have gobbled up their food supply.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 12, 2022

He told her, spreading some smoked whitefish on a cracker, that his wife resembled an actress in Bombay named Madhuri Dixit.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri