shad

noun

plural shad
: any of several fishes (especially genus Alosa) of the shad family that have a relatively deep body and are anadromous and that include some important food fishes of Europe and North America

Examples of shad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was likely shad from the Delaware River, fresh corn and lettuces from nearby farms, sugar and pineapples from the Caribbean, spices from Asia. Victoria Flexner, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025 Catfish are biting fair on cut bait or shad. Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2025 American shad are below 10% of historic abundance. Phil Zalesak, Baltimore Sun, 16 Aug. 2025 There, it was successfully utilized to help spawning American shad and blueback herring bypass a spillway located between Lake Marion and the Santee River. New Atlas, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shad

Word History

Etymology

Middle English *shad, from Old English sceadd

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shad was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shad. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

shad

noun
plural shad
: any of several sea fishes that are related to the herrings, swim up rivers to lay or fertilize eggs, and include important food fishes

More from Merriam-Webster on shad

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