stockfish

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈstɒkfɪʃ/
  • Rhymes: -ɒkfɪʃ
  • Hyphenation: stock‧fish

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English stokfissh, stokfysch, from Middle Dutch stocvisch and/or Middle Low German stokvisch (stick fish). Equivalent to stock +‎ fish.

Noun

stockfish (countable and uncountable, plural stockfishes or stockfish)

  1. A cod (or similar fish) having been cut open and cured in the open air without salt.
    • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe:
      So the Prior of Saint Botolph’s hobbled back again into the refectory, to preside over the stockfish and ale, which was just serving out for the friars’ breakfast.
    • 1856, Elisha Kent Kane, Arctic Explorations:
      We saw the codfish here in all the stages of preparation for the table and the market; the stockfish, dried in the open air, without salt; crapefish, salted and pressed
Translations

Further reading

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Afrikaans stokvis, from Dutch stokvis.

Noun

stockfish (plural stockfishes or stockfish)

  1. (South Africa) The shallow-water Cape hake (Merluccius capensis)
Synonyms
Coordinate terms

Further reading