orfe

orfe (AWRF) - n., a slender freshwater Eurasian fish, Leuciscus idus, kept as an ornamental and aquarium fish.


Also, and apparently more commonly, called ide (pronounced AID). Two ornamental varieties are common, the silver orfe and golden orfe -- you get to guess what colors they are. The name has gone through a bit of a journey -- we got it from German orfe/orf, which got it from either via French orphe or directly from Old High German orvo, which got it from Latin orphus (where it was the name of a different fish, the gilt-head bream), which in turn got it from Ancient Greek orphós, which was yet another fish, the sea perch. Woofs. Here, have a pretty:


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.