mackerel

noun mack·er·el \ ˈma-k(ə-)rəl \

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Definition of mackerel

plural mackerel or mackerels

1 : a scombroid fish (Scomber scombrus of the family Scombridae) of the North Atlantic that is green above with dark blue bars and silvery below and is a commercially important food fish

2 : any of various fishes (such as the wahoo and king mackerel) in the same family as the mackerel especially when distinguished from the related bonito or tuna by a comparatively smaller size

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Recent Examples of mackerel from the Web

Keep a bait low in the water column for a shot at wahoo, which will shadow schools of mackerel.

— mark blythe, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Cental Florida fishing forecast: June 23," 28 June 2018
The mackerel fillets with pistachio and cardamom salsa, which is a simpler take on the flavor profile of my koftas, should be equally untaxing.

— yotam ottolenghi, New York Times, "When Cooking Is About Ease, Not ‘Easy’," 11 May 2018
The contrast of charred skin and the mackerel’s fishiness is so intense that for a moment I’m lost in reverie, until I’m interrupted by a neighboring diner.

— tom downey, WSJ, "Explore Kyoto With the Chefs Who Are Turning Culinary Tradition on Its Head," 28 May 2018
Think mackerel, sardines, anchovies: fish that are more plentiful in the summertime.

— natalie b. compton, GQ, "How to Grill Like a Chef This Summer," 31 May 2018
Newspaper-sellers did not leave their wares in a mute pile, but advertised them at top volume, as did vendors of cherries, violets and fresh mackerel.

— The Economist, "People crave silence, yet are unnerved by it," 17 May 2018
Also good: mackerel, halibut, sardines, tuna, shrimp and scallops.

— allison horton, miamiherald, "Want to reduce your odds of getting cancer? Stay active, lose weight and eat healthy | Miami Herald," 25 May 2018
Only about 4 inches in length, this predator was attracted to traps baited with mackerel.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "Meet the top 10 new species of 2018," 23 May 2018
Specifically, says a panel of nutrition experts assembled by the association, people should eat non-fried, cold-water oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna, sardines and lake trout.

— linda searing, Washington Post, "The Big Number: How much fish do I really need to eat to help my heart?," 19 May 2018

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