menhaden

noun

men·​ha·​den men-ˈhā-dᵊn 

mən-

plural menhaden also menhadens

: a marine fish (Brevoortia tyrannus) of the herring family abundant along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. where it is used for bait or converted into oil and fertilizer

also : any of several congeneric fishes

Examples of menhaden in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These temperate, food-rich waters are a buffet for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, drawing them in to chase down mullet, menhaden, and other small fish. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025

Some biologists also worry about numbers of menhaden, a primary food for striped bass. —Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025

These menhaden aren’t going to feed American families. —Phil Zalesak, Baltimore Sun, 16 Aug. 2025

When a menhaden school comes close to shore, sharks sometimes follow them in. —Hans Walters, New York Daily News, 19 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

of Algonquian origin; akin to Narragansett munnawhatteaûg menhaden

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for menhaden

• handmaiden
• unladen
• laden
• maidan
• maiden

Kids Definition

menhaden

noun

men·​ha·​den men-ˈhād-ᵊn 

mən-

plural menhaden also menhadens

: a fish of the Atlantic coast of the U.S. that is related to the herring and is a source of oil and fertilizer