1 capelin | Definition of capelin

capelin

noun
cap·​e·​lin | \ ˈka-p(É™-)lÉ™n How to pronounce capelin (audio) \

Definition of capelin

: a small northern sea fish (Mallotus villosus) of the smelt family

Examples of capelin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Atlantic, southern species such as capelin and Atlantic copepod are already encroaching in Arctic waters where they were not previously found. Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "What Will Be the Last Fish?," 10 Dec. 2018 Plentiful in Alaska, murres eat finger-length forage fish such as capelin and juvenile pollock. Dan Joling, The Seattle Times, "Alaska seabird deaths continue trend tied to warming ocean," 11 Aug. 2018 Half the kick comes from ginger, and the pop from tiny beads of masago (capelin roe). Author: Ligaya Mishan, Anchorage Daily News, "Heading home to Hawaii in search of poke," 10 Jan. 2018 Half the kick comes from ginger, and the pop from tiny beads of masago (capelin roe). Author: Ligaya Mishan, Anchorage Daily News, "Heading home to Hawaii in search of poke," 10 Jan. 2018 Half the kick comes from ginger, and the pop from tiny beads of masago (capelin roe). Author: Ligaya Mishan, Anchorage Daily News, "Heading home to Hawaii in search of poke," 10 Jan. 2018 Half the kick comes from ginger, and the pop from tiny beads of masago (capelin roe). Author: Ligaya Mishan, Anchorage Daily News, "Heading home to Hawaii in search of poke," 10 Jan. 2018 Half the kick comes from ginger, and the pop from tiny beads of masago (capelin roe). Author: Ligaya Mishan, Anchorage Daily News, "Heading home to Hawaii in search of poke," 10 Jan. 2018 Half the kick comes from ginger, and the pop from tiny beads of masago (capelin roe). Author: Ligaya Mishan, Anchorage Daily News, "Heading home to Hawaii in search of poke," 10 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'capelin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of capelin

1620, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for capelin

Canadian French capelan, from French, codfish, from Old Occitan, chaplain, codfish, from Medieval Latin cappellanus chaplain — more at chaplain

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More from Merriam-Webster on capelin

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with capelin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about capelin