anchovy
/ˈantʃəvi
/ /anˈtʃəʊvi /noun (plural anchovies)
A small shoaling fish of commercial importance as a food fish and as bait. It is strongly flavoured and is usually preserved in salt and oil.
- Genus Engraulis, family Engraulidae: several species.
- Adult halibut prefer a diet of small fish such as anchovies, sardines, and white croaker.
- Groups such as silversides, herrings and anchovies often congregate in feeding shoals numbering in the millions.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Spanish and Portuguese anchova, of unknown origin.