mackerel

mack·er·el | \ ˈma-k(ə-)rəl

How to pronounce mackerel (audio)

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plural mackerel or mackerels

Definition of mackerel

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

Examples of mackerel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the case of Atlantic mackerel, the fishery is comanaged by Norway, the Faroe Islands and the European Union. — Kendra Pierre-louis, New York Times, "Warming Waters, Moving Fish: How Climate Change Is Reshaping Iceland," 29 Nov. 2019 Fully submerge the mackerel in the vinegar solution and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to two days. — Michael A. Gardiner, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Unrushed rice is key to success with homemade sushi," 6 Aug. 2019 Two metal bars reached into the darkness, holding a dead mackerel above a seafloor covered in soft brown sediment. — Susan Casey, Outside Online, "One Man's Wild Quest to Reach the Bottom of Every Ocean," 22 Oct. 2019 After the turn of the century, mackerel escaping warming ocean waters started mass-migrating into Iceland's territorial waters. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN, "Icelanders can't remember a hotter summer. It's nice, and worrying," 27 Aug. 2019 But mackerel are now swimming in the warmer currents around Iceland, and the value of the catch has risen noticeably. — Liz Alderman, New York Times, "What Worries Iceland? A World Without Ice. It Is Preparing.," 9 Aug. 2019 Remove the mackerel from the solution and pat dry with a paper towel. — Michael A. Gardiner, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Unrushed rice is key to success with homemade sushi," 6 Aug. 2019 The catch has normally included mackerel, bass, halibut, croaker and rock fish. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Wet winter brings variety of visitors to garden," 3 Aug. 2019 Féau, formerly at the Royce and Wally’s Santa Monica, will oversee a selection of French classics and plats du jour, including white-wine-poached mackerel, ahi tuna piperade, hanger steak with shallots, and a Grand Marnier soufflé. — Hadley Tomicki, latimes.com, "Jeremy Fox to open Birdie G's this week, Pizzana in WeHo and Leo's Tacos in the SFV," 18 June 2019

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.

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Dictionary Entries near mackerel

Mackenzie Mountains

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Last Updated

27 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Mackerel.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mackerel. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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