Definition of red herring
1
: a herring cured by salting and slow smoking to a dark brown color
2
[from the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs]
: something that distracts attention from the real issue
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for red herring
The first known use of red herring was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century