Meanings
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1
noun
any of several small, oily, silvery fish related to herrings, especially a pilchard
A dense school of sardines flashed beneath the surface near the coast.
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2
noun
one of these fish prepared as food, commonly preserved in a can
She served sardines on toast with lemon and black pepper.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From French sardine, through Latin sardina from Ancient Greek sardine. The fish name was traditionally associated with Sardinia, around whose waters the fish were said to be abundant, though the precise ancient formation is uncertain.