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