Anchovies are small fish that live in the sea. They are often eaten salted.
...a tin of anchovies.
...anchovy fillets.
anchovy in British English
(ˈæntʃəvɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-vies or -vy
any of various small marine food fishes of the genus Engraulis and related genera, esp E. encrasicolus of S Europe: family Clupeidae (herrings). They have a salty taste and are often tinned or made into a paste or essence
Word origin
C16: from Spanish anchoa, perhaps ultimately from Greek aphuē small fish
anchovy in American English
(ˈænˌtʃoʊvi; ˈæntʃəvi; ˌ ænˈtʃoʊvi)
nounWord forms: pluralˈanˌchovies or
any of a family (Engraulidae) of very small fishes (order Clupeiformes) with largemouths, found mostly in warm seas: anchovies, esp. the European species (Engraulis encrasicholus), are used as a relish, either canned in oil or made into a salty paste
Word origin
Port anchova < VL *apua < L aphya < Gr aphyē, small fry