brisling

brisling (BRIZ-ling, BRIS-ling) - n., any of several small marine food fishes of the genus Sprattus, esp. S. sprattus, of the northeast Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas.


Sometimes, specifically, a young sprat -- other times, a generic other name for this herring-like fish. They are eminently edible, with a high fat content in their flesh, and are readily canned. This name for them was adopted in the 1860s from Norwegian brisling, from Low German bretling, from bret, broad.


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---L.