fish oil

noun

: a fatty oil from the bodies of various fishes (such as menhaden or sardines) that contains large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids and is used as a dietary supplement and in making various products (such as cosmetics and paints)

Examples of fish oil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sources of omega-3 include fatty fish—such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout—as well as flaxseeds, walnuts, fish oil supplements and cod liver oil. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024

Third-party testing is important as fish oils can be contaminated with heavy metals. —Tamar Kane, Ms, Rd, Verywell Health, 9 Oct. 2024

Napier tries to engineer crops to produce omega-3 fish oils, while the C4 Rice Project is attempting to make rice much more productive. —Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 2 Oct. 2024

Findings suggest the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil could support lower blood pressure and help slow disease progression. —Cristina Mutchler, Health, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

fish oil

noun

: a fatty oil that is obtained from oily fish (such as herring or menhaden), contains large amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, and is used as a dietary supplement and in making various products (such as protective coatings, cosmetics, and animal feed)

Scientists learned some time ago that there are significant health benefits from consuming omega-3 fatty acids, which are found mostly in fish oils, algal oils, and linseed oil.

—Felicia M. Willis, Today's Chemist at Work