herring

noun

her·​ring ˈher-iŋ How to pronounce herring (audio)
ˈhe-riŋ
plural herring or herrings
1
: either of two food fishes (genus Clupea):
a
: one (C. harengus) that is abundant in the temperate and colder parts of the North Atlantic and that in the adult state is preserved by smoking or salting and in the young state is extensively canned and sold as sardines
b
: one (C. pallasi synonym C. h. pallasi) of the North Pacific harvested especially for its roe
2
: any of a large family (Clupeidae) of soft-finned bony fishes (such as the herrings, shads, sardines, and menhadens) that have a laterally compressed body and a forked tail and usually occur in schools

Examples of herring in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fish: Some fish, such as salmon, herring, and sardines, contain more fats. Merve Ceylan, Health, 23 Dec. 2024 Its diet consists of cold water fish such as cod, herring, salmon and halibut. Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 Foods rich in omega-3s include mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, and anchovies. Aviv Joshua, Verywell Health, 17 Dec. 2024 As with many other studies of healthy fish intake, the researchers recommended eating fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and herring. Markham Heid, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for herring 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hering, from Old English hǣring; akin to Old High German hārinc herring

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of herring was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near herring

Cite this Entry

“Herring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herring. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

herring

noun
her·​ring ˈher-iŋ How to pronounce herring (audio)
plural herring or herrings
: a valuable food fish that is very common in the north Atlantic Ocean
also : any of various fishes like this one or related to it

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