capelin

noun

cap·​e·​lin ˈka-p(ə-)lən How to pronounce capelin (audio)
: a small northern sea fish (Mallotus villosus) of the smelt family

Examples of capelin 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.
Johansson brings a playful, global sensibility to Greenlandic staples—using local ingredients like capelin and ptarmigan in ways that draw from both Asian and Mediterranean influences. Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 There, the bird joined bald eagles on nearby rocky cliffs to feast on spawning capelin, a type of small, oily fish that lives in northern waters. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025 Puffins are carnivorous birds that primarily eat small fish, including herring, hake, sand eels, and capelin. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024 On top is a sheet of orange, wild Icelandic capelin fish roe. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2024 Twenty-two species show up during this period, coming to feed on krill, capelin, and squid in the tens of thousands. Jennifer Billock, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2023 Small fish, like herring, capelin, or anchovies, have correspondingly small swim bladders, which typically resonate at frequencies of 1000 Hz or more. IEEE Spectrum, 26 July 2011

Word History

Etymology

Canadian French capelan, from French, codfish, from Old Occitan, chaplain, codfish, from Medieval Latin cappellanus chaplain — more at chaplain

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of capelin was in 1620

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Capelin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capelin. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on capelin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!