ANCHOVY
anchovy
(noun) small herring-like plankton-eating fishes often canned whole or as paste; abundant in tropical waters worldwide
anchovy
(noun) tiny fishes usually canned or salted; used for hors d’oeuvres or as seasoning in sauces
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
anchovy (plural anchovies)
Any small saltwater fish of the Engraulidae family, consisting of 160 species in 16 genera, of which the genus Engraulis is widely sold as food.
Source: Wiktionary
An*cho"vy, n. Etym: [Sp. anchoa, anchova, or Pg. anchova, prob. of
Iberian origin, and lit. a dried or pickled fish, fr. Bisc. antzua
dry: cf. D. anchovis, F. anchois.] (Zoöl.)
Definition: A small fish, about three inches in length, of the Herring
family (Engraulis encrasicholus), caught in vast numbers in the
Mediterranean, and pickled for exportation. The name is also applied
to several allied species.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition