sardine

Meanings

Noun

• Any one of several species of small herring which are commonly preserved in olive oil or in tins for food, especially the pilchard, or European sardine Sardina pilchardus (species) (syn. Clupea pilchardus (species)). The California sardine Sardinops sagax (species) (syn. Clupea sagax (species)) is similar. The American sardines of the Atlantic coast are mostly the young of the Atlantic herring and of the menhaden.
• carnelian
• Someone packed or crammed into a small space.

Verb

• to fish for sardines
• to pack or cram together tightly.

Origin

• Borrowed from French sardine (compare Spanish sardina, Italian sardina), Latin sardina; from Ancient Greek σαρδίνη.