Meanings
- uncountableSynonym of dressed herring.
Before they open their presents, Russians enjoy their traditional New Year’s Eve feast. Across 11 timezones, families will tuck into Olivier salad (potatoes, carrots, peas, pickled cucumbers, eggs, sausage and mayonnaise) and “herring under a fur coat”.
2023 December 23, Steve Rosenberg, “Moscow is awash with tinsel and lights but ‘Christmas as usual’ is just an illusion”, in The Guardian, →ISSNSynonyms: dressed herring
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of dressed herring.
Origin
- Russianсельдь под шубой
- Englishherring under a fur coat
Calque of Russian сельдь под шубой (selʹdʹ pod šuboj).
More words from Russian
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
herring under a fur coat. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/herring%20under%20a%20fur%20coat
“herring under a fur coat.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/herring%20under%20a%20fur%20coat. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “herring under a fur coat,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/herring%20under%20a%20fur%20coat.
Source: herring under a fur coat on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.