whitefish

noun

white·​fish ˈ(h)wīt-ˌfish How to pronounce whitefish (audio)
1
a
: any of various freshwater salmonid food fishes (especially of genera Coregonus and Prosopium) that resemble the salmon and trout in having an adipose dorsal fin but have a smaller, often toothless mouth and that inhabit cold lakes and streams of the northern hemisphere see cisco
b
: any of various fishes (such as a menhaden or a whiting) resembling the true whitefishes
c
British : any of various market fishes with white flesh that is not oily
2
: the flesh of a whitefish especially as an article of food

Examples of whitefish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Here, whitefish sourced from Eagle Creek Fish Co. in Jackson, Michigan, is simply prepared. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 For instance, some fish, like lake whitefish, spawn in the fall in nearshore areas of the lakes where the eggs incubate over the winter. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 Fish species, like whitefish, depend on ice cover to protect their eggs for reproduction. Evan Bush, NBC News, 2 Jan. 2024 The all-natural recipe is made with nutrient-rich foods like whitefish and flaxseed, which are great sources of omega fatty acids, along with blueberries, raspberries, and chicory root. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 21 June 2022 How to catch them: Mountain whitefish are a native Idaho game fish with silvery sides, white bellies and pudgy noses. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Stalwarts such as the whitefish salad and potatoes take on slightly new forms. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023 Chicken breast is great, but so are chicken thighs, tofu, salmon, pork, shellfish, whitefish, lamb, tempeh, and much more. Paul Kita, Men's Health, 31 July 2023 Popular catch are the common whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus), the common roach (Rutilus rutilus, known locally as gardon), the zander (Sander lucioperca) and the European perch. Vittoria Traverso, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whitefish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of whitefish was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near whitefish

Cite this Entry

“Whitefish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whitefish. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

whitefish

noun
white·​fish ˈhwīt-ˌfish How to pronounce whitefish (audio)
ˈwīt-
: any of various freshwater food fishes related to the salmons and trouts and mostly greenish above and silvery white below

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