Meanings
plural menhadens · alternative menhadden · alternative manhaden
- Any of several species of fish in the genera Brevoortia and Ethmidium, used for fish meal, fish oil, fertilizer, and bait.
Divergence of the largescaled menhadens from the small-scaled menhadens resulted either from geographic isolation or different habitat preferences.
1970, Bulletin of the Florida State Museum: Biological sciences, Florida State MuseumSynonyms: bunker, mossbanker, mossbunker, mossyback, pauhagen, poghaden
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of several species of fish in the genera Brevoortia and Ethmidium, used for fish meal, fish oil, fertilizer, and bait.
More synonyms by meaning
nounshad-like North American marine fishes used for fish meal and oil and fertilizer
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Narragansettmunnawhatteaug“they fertilize”
- Englishmenhaden
From Narragansett munnawhatteaug (“they fertilize”), influenced by poghaden.
More words from Narragansett
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 步魚 /步鱼, 鯡魚 /鲱鱼
- 步魚 /步鱼 (bùyú)fish of the genera Brevoortia or Ethmidium
- 鯡魚 /鲱鱼 (fēiyú)fish of the genera Brevoortia or Ethmidium
Finnish menhaden
- menhadenfish of the genera Brevoortia or Ethmidium
Polish menhaden
- menhadenfish of the genera Brevoortia or Ethmidium
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with menhaden
All rhymes →Cite this entry
menhaden. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/menhaden
“menhaden.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/menhaden. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “menhaden,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/menhaden.
Source: menhaden on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.