cavalla

noun

ca·​val·​la kə-ˈva-lə 

plural cavalla or cavallas

1

or less commonly cavally

kə-ˈva-lē 

: any of various carangid fishes

2

: king mackerel

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish caballa "mackerel (Scomber scombrus or Scomber colias)," feminine derivative of caballo "horse," going back to Latin caballus "work horse, gelding" — more at cavalcade

Note: According to Joan Coromines (Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico) Spanish caballa was originally applied to a species of flying fish, from its supposed resemblance to a horse. This seems somewhat unlikely, and in any case the application of animal names to fish varieties in other instances appears to lack obvious semantic motivation (compare redhorse).

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1