Anchovy

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Anchovy \An*cho"vy\ ([a^]n*ch[=o]"v[y^]), n. [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.] (Zool.)
     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.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  anchovy
       n 1: tiny Mediterranean fishes usually canned or salted; used for
            hors d'oeuvres or as seasoning in sauces
       2: small herring-like plankton-feeding fishes often canned
          whole or as paste; abundant in tropical waters worldwide