plural smelts or smelt
: any of a family (Osmeridae) of small bony fishes that closely resemble the trouts in general structure, live along coasts and ascend rivers to spawn or are landlocked, and have delicate oily flesh with a distinctive odor and taste
smelted; smelting; smelts
1
: to melt or fuse (a substance, such as ore) often with an accompanying chemical change usually to separate the metal
smelt
3 of 3chiefly British past participle of smell entry 1
Examples of smelt in a Sentence
Verb
the process used for smelting iron ore
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Claims were made that California Governor Gavin Newsom had refused to release millions of gallons of water to protect smelt in the northern part of the state, while misinformation was posted that the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was cut.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2025
Trump has criticized Newsom’s administration for opposing his water management plans on the grounds of protecting the Delta smelt, an endangered species of fish.
—Joseph Lawler, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Feb. 2025
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Noun
Pumping to supply farms and cities has contributed to the ecological degradation of the Delta, where the fish species that are listed as threatened or endangered include steelhead trout, two types of Chinook salmon, longfin smelt, delta smelt and green sturgeon.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Claims were made that California Governor Gavin Newsom had refused to release millions of gallons of water to protect smelt in the northern part of the state, while misinformation was posted that the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was cut.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
The pieces had varying levels of meteoritic iron, suggesting it was mixed in and smelted with local iron, then made into the jewelry, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2025
Trump has criticized Newsom’s administration for opposing his water management plans on the grounds of protecting the Delta smelt, an endangered species of fish.
—Joseph Lawler, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smelt
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Cite this Entry
“Smelt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smelt. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smelt
1 of 2 noun
plural smelts or smelt
: any of several very small food fishes that look like the related trouts and live in fresh water or in coastal sea waters
smelt
2 of 2 verb1
: to melt (as ore) usually in order to separate the metal
2
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