minnow

noun

min·​now ˈmi-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce minnow (audio)
plural minnows also minnow
1
a
: a small cyprinid, killifish, or topminnow
b
: any of various small fish that are less than a designated size and are not game fish
2
: a live or artificial minnow used as bait

Examples of minnow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Most importantly, weed lines host entire ecosystems with lots of insects, minnows, grass shrimp, and juvenile crawfish that bluegill love to gorge on. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 28 Feb. 2024 Here in Idaho, the Rapala Original Floating minnow is a must-have item for any angler’s tackle box. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Stock market minnows are grabbing most of the world's IPOs The shoemaker’s upcoming listing is a coup for the US market, and another loss for stock exchanges in Europe. Anna Cooban, CNN, 3 Oct. 2023 This is the summer in which the minnows became sharks. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2023 These ancient sharks make modern sharks look like minnows. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 In some states, for instance, using a cast net is lawful for catching shiners, river baitfish, and tidewater minnows. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 4 Jan. 2024 There are hundreds of options now—including craws, bugs, grubs, leeches, minnows, and more—but the classic Ned bait that looks like the tail end of a normal soft plastic stick bait still works really well. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 24 Apr. 2023 Not a scale missing, its’ sleek, silvery appearance was similar to that of a big shad rather than an overgrown minnow. Jim Gronaw, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'minnow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English menawe; akin to Old English myne minnow, Old High German munewa, a kind of fish

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of minnow was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near minnow

Cite this Entry

“Minnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minnow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

minnow

noun
min·​now ˈmin-ō How to pronounce minnow (audio)
plural minnows also minnow
: any of various small freshwater fishes (as a dace or shiner) related to the carps
also : any of various small fishes that resemble minnows

More from Merriam-Webster on minnow

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