alewife
Use Alewife in a sentence
noun, plural ale·wives.
a North American fish, Alosa pseudoharengus, resembling a small shad.
Origin:
1625–35, Americanism; earlier allowes, perhaps influenced by alewife2, probably < French alose shad < Gallo-Latin alausa
1625–35, Americanism; earlier allowes, perhaps influenced by alewife2, probably < French alose shad < Gallo-Latin alausa
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To alewife
00:10
Alewife
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
alewife (ˈeɪlˌwaɪf) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -wives | |
| a North American fish, Pomolobus pseudoharengus, similar to the herring Clupea harengus: family Clupeidae (herrings) | |
| [C19: perhaps an alteration (through influence of alewife, that is, a large rotund woman, alluding to the fish's shape) of French alose shad] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
alewife
herring-like fish of N.America, 1630s, named for M.E. word for female tavern keepers; so called in reference to its large abdomen.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
However, alewife and gizzard shad were abundant in the entire area.
Pacific salmon species stocked as a trophy fish and to control alewife.
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