alewife
NounUS[eyl-wahyf]/ˈeɪlˌwaɪf/2 syllables
Open English WordNet
Noun (2)alewives
- flesh of shad-like fish abundant along the Atlantic coast or in coastal streamsType of fishPart of Alosa pseudoharengus, Pomolobus pseudoharengus
- shad-like food fish that runs rivers to spawn; often salted or smoked; sometimes placed in genus PomolobusSynonyms: Alosa pseudoharengusPomolobus pseudoharengusType of clupeid fish, clupeidMember of Alosa, genus Alosa
Word of the day · Nov 15About this word
aberrationnoun
a state or condition markedly different from the norm
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Ale′wife′ (…), noun; pl. Alewives (…).
A woman who keeps an alehouse. John Gay
Ale′wife′ noun; pl. Alewives.
Origin: This word is properly aloof, the Indian name of a fish. See Winthrop on the culture of maize in America, “Phil Trans.” No. 142, p. 1065, and Baddam's “Memoirs,” vol. ii. p. 131.
Zoology A North American fish (Clupea vernalis) of the Herring family. It is called also ellwife, ellwhop, branch herring. The name is locally applied to other related species.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54