minnow

noun

min·​now ˈmi-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce minnow (audio)
plural minnows also minnow
1
a
: a small cyprinid, killifish, or topminnow
b
: any of various small fish that are less than a designated size and are not game fish
2
: a live or artificial minnow used as bait

Examples of minnow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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As many as 28 others entered the two-round two-legged playoffs, ranging from giants such as Sweden and Norway to minnows like Luxembourg and Georgia. Neel Shelat, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024 Our collections include thousands of vertebrae, teeth and scales representing both large fish and minnows. Kristi Curry Rogers, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024 But some of their most common prey items include minnows, crayfish, insects, and amphibians. Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025 Coming up against them were Serie A minnows Empoli, a side who had lost their last four league games including a 4-1 defeat to Juve earlier this month. Adam Digby, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for minnow

Word History

Etymology

Middle English menawe; akin to Old English myne minnow, Old High German munewa, a kind of fish

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of minnow was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Minnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minnow. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

minnow

noun
min·​now ˈmin-ō How to pronounce minnow (audio)
plural minnows also minnow
: any of various small freshwater fishes (as a dace or shiner) related to the carps
also : any of various small fishes that resemble minnows

More from Merriam-Webster on minnow

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