cod

1 of 3

noun

plural cod also cods
1
: any of various bottom-dwelling fishes (family Gadidae, the cod family) that usually occur in cold marine waters and often have barbels and three dorsal fins: such as
a
: one (Gadus morhua) of the North Atlantic that is an important food fish
b
: one (Gadus macrocephalus) of the Pacific Ocean
2
: any of various bony fishes resembling the true cods

cod

2 of 3

abbreviation (1)

COD

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

cash on delivery; collect on delivery

Examples of cod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
New gains-worthy products hit the market seemingly every day, and now, to complete the ouroboros, one protein bar company is even selling cod. Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025 The fishing grounds here are full of cod and dozens of trawlers dot the horizon. David Greig september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025 The ship that Cox was aboard at the time of his death was identified as the 58-foot Halcyon that was fishing for cod, the Anchorage Daily News and radio station KUCB reported. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025 The menu has included delicious Barolo ox cheek pappardelle with Barolo vinegar and Cornish cod served with tagliatelle. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cod

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cod was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cod. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

cod

noun
plural cod also cods
: a soft-finned fish of the colder parts of the North Atlantic that is a major food fish
also : any of several related fishes

Medical Definition

cod

noun
plural cod also cods
: any of various bottom-dwelling fishes (family Gadidae, the cod family) that usually occur in cold marine waters and often have barbels and three dorsal fins: as
a
: one (Gadus morhua) of the North Atlantic that is an important food fish
b
: one (Gadus macrocephalus) of the Pacific Ocean

Legal Definition

COD

abbreviation
cash on delivery, collect on delivery

More from Merriam-Webster on cod

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