sardine

noun

sar·​dine sär-ˈdēn 

plural sardines also sardine

1

: any of several small or immature fishes of the herring family

especially : the European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) especially when young and of a size suitable for preserving for food

2

: any of various small fishes (such as an anchovy) resembling the true sardines or similarly preserved for food

Examples of sardine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the minimalist, a set of eight simple sardine ornaments (complete with a matching tin) makes a great stocking stuffer. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2025

So are oily fish — like anchovies, herring, salmon, sardines and striped bass — some nuts and seeds, and soybeans and tofu. —Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 2 Nov. 2025

With that said, the options are nearly limitless—think sardines in tomato sauce, trout with chimichurri, mussels in escabeche, or spiced calamari in ragout sauce. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2025

People who have not grown up with wealth may question why a billionaire would want to live like the rest of the population: working nine-to-five, crammed in like a sardine on subways instead of calling private cars. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sardeine, from Anglo-French, from Latin sardina

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sardine

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

Kids Definition

sardine

noun

sar·​dine sär-ˈdēn 

plural sardines also sardine

: any of various young or very small fish often preserved in oil for food