bream

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of various deep-bodied freshwater fishes, especially the European common bream or North American sunfishes

   A bream flashed its silvery side as the angler lifted it from the pond.

2. 2
   noun

   any of various deep-bodied marine fishes, especially members of the sea-bream family Sparidae

   The market sold whole bream packed on crushed ice.

From Middle English breme and Old French breme or bresme, borrowed from a Frankish word related to Dutch brasem and German Brasse. The Germanic fish name may ultimately be connected with a root meaning 'to shine,' a reference to the fish's bright scales. English later extended the common name to several unrelated freshwater and marine fishes.

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