sparling

/'spɑ:kliɳ/

Thân thiện

A fisherman catches a sparling in a clear river.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of small fish: "sparling" refers specifically to the common smelt (Osmerus eperlanus), a small, silvery fish found in European coastal and fresh waters. It is known for its distinctive cucumber-like smell.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The river is known for its population of sparling.
  • Fishermen catch sparling during the spring spawning run.

Advanced Usage

• The term "sparling" is primarily a zoological/common name and is not typically used in figurative or idiomatic expressions. Its usage is almost exclusively literal, referring to the fish itself.

Variants and Related Words

• Smelt (n): A more general common name for fish of the family Osmeridae, which includes the sparling.
  • Various species of smelt are found in northern waters.

Synonyms

• European smelt (n): A direct synonym.
• Common smelt (n): Another name for the same species.

Related Phrases

• Sparling run: Refers to the seasonal migration of these fish for spawning.
  • We went to see the annual sparling run in the estuary.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the common smelt of Europe
2. common smelt of Europe

Từ đồng nghĩa

• European smelt
• Osmerus eperlanus