First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
herring
noun her·ring \ˈher-iŋ, ˈhe-riŋ\
: a fish that lives in the northern Atlantic Ocean and is often eaten as food
plural herring or herrings
Full Definition of HERRING
1
: either of two food fishes (genus Clupeus): a : one (C. harengus) that is abundant in the temperate and colder parts of the North Atlantic and that in the adult state is preserved by smoking or salting and in the young state is extensively canned and sold as sardines b : one (C. pallasi syn. C. h. pallasi) of the North Pacific harvested especially for its roe
2
: any of a large family (Clupeidae) of soft-finned bony fishes (as the herrings, shads, sardines, and menhadens) that have a laterally compressed body and a forked tail and usually occur in schools
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Origin of HERRING
Middle English hering, from Old English hǣring; akin to Old High German hārinc herring
HERRING Defined for Kids
herring
noun her·ring \ˈher-iŋ\
Definition of HERRING for Kids
: a fish of the northern Atlantic Ocean that is often used for food
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