cod

noun \ ˈkäd \

|Updated on: 13 Aug 2018

Definition of cod

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

See cod defined for English-language learners

See cod defined for kids

Recent Examples of cod from the Web

Soaring ceilings and white leather booths over more excitement than the menu: Black cod arrives expertly poached, but its curry sauce tastes like creamer.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "4 New Restaurants to Try Right Now," 28 Aug. 2017
One of the best things on offer is the ceviche from Mazunte: nothing but protein-rich cod marinated in lime juice with bits of jalapeno and tomato.

— polly campbell, Cincinnati.com, "Serving tennis balls and food at Western & Southern Open," 14 Aug. 2017
But the people who munched on that dried cod roughly 1,000 years ago were living under Danish rule in a cosmopolitan port city.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "1,000-year-old German dinner reveals long-distance Viking trade routes," 7 Aug. 2017
Book a private dinner in the estate’s blue-tiled dining room for regional specialties like sopa alentejana de tomate (tomato bread soup) and bacalhau fresco (fresh cod) paired with the estate’s wines.

— laura giannatempo, CNT, "Why You Should Visit Alentejo, Portugal's Underrated Wine Region," 21 July 2017
King Cove officials keep a list of the medical evacuations by plane or boat to Cold Bay, an exhaustive catalogue of suffering and treatment delays for problems like fractures, heart problems and a fisherman crushed by a 600-pound cod trap.

— nathaniel herz, Alaska Dispatch News, "Can the isolated Alaska Peninsula town of King Cove get its road under the Trump administration?," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cod.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cod

Middle English

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

cod

abbreviation

Definition of cod

codex

See cod defined for kids

Recent Examples of cod from the Web

Americans have a big appetite for Chinese seafood, buying millions of dollars of tilapia, shrimp, salmon and cod each year, often sent by container ship.

— dan strumpf, WSJ, "Key Chinese Electronic Parts and Seafood Targeted in Latest U.S. Tariff Threat," 11 July 2018
On Fridays, Oscar’s has a cod fish fry for a mere $9.99.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "International flavors, down at the corner bar, are an American experience," 3 July 2018
The cookbook, featuring Ed Anderson’s vivid photography, showcases many of the restaurant’s beloved brunch items, along with other favorites like salt cod brandade and Madras curry fried chicken.

— sarah fritsche, SFChronicle.com, "Cook upscale Mission-style at home with ‘Foreign Cinema Cookbook’," 17 June 2018
According to Live Science’s Laura Geggel, the archaeologists discovered evidence of a wide range of foods, including herring, eel, cod, apples, raspberries, cherries and rye bread.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Archaeologists Unseal 17th-Century Danish Latrines to Discover Copenhageners’ Dietary Habits," 9 July 2018
Image As tensions rise between the United States and Canada, there’s a new clash in the cool waters off the northeast tip of Maine, which are rich with lobster, scallops and cod.

— matthew haag, New York Times, "Border Patrol Stops Canadian Fishermen in Disputed Waters Off Maine," 6 July 2018
That’s in addition to a range of sales on grocery items including strawberries, chicken and Icelandic cod.

— USA TODAY, "Amazon will give you $10 to spend if you shop at Whole Foods before Prime Day," 10 July 2018
Now, the bar doesn’t bread its own fish, but the cod is sweet, and the coleslaw, flecked with plenty of celery seed, is house-made.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "International flavors, down at the corner bar, are an American experience," 3 July 2018
The cod was tender as could be and accompanied by shrimp and tofu, all swimming in a crimson-hued broth layered with just the right amount of fish flavor.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Bibimbap to bulgogi, Lee's Korean Restaurant serves the classics. It doesn't disappoint," 28 Mar. 2018

COD

abbreviation

Definition of COD

cash on delivery; collect on delivery

See COD defined for English-language learners

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

COD Defined for English Language Learners

cod

noun

Definition of cod for English Language Learners

: a large fish that lives in the northern Atlantic Ocean and is often eaten as food

cod

noun

Definition of cod for English Language Learners

: a large fish that lives in the northern Atlantic Ocean and is often eaten as food

COD Defined for Kids

cod

noun \ ˈkäd \

Definition of cod for Students

plural cod

: a large fish found in the deep colder parts of the northern Atlantic Ocean and often used for food

COD

abbreviation

Definition of COD for Students

1 cash on delivery

2 collect on delivery

Medical Dictionary

cod

noun \ ˈkäd \

medical Definition of cod

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