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Webster 1913 Edition
Minnow
Min′now
,Noun.
[OE.
menow
, cf. AS. myne
; also OE. menuse
, OF. menuise
small fish; akin to E. minish
, minute
.] [Written also
minow
.] 1.
(Zool.)
A small European fresh-water cyprinoid fish (
Phoxinus laevis
, formerly Leuciscus phoxinus
); sometimes applied also to the young of larger kinds; – called also minim
and minny
. The name is also applied to several allied American species, of the genera Phoxinus
, Notropis
, or Minnilus
, and Rhinichthys
. 2.
(Zool.)
Any of numerous small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus
Fundulus
, and related genera. They live both in fresh and in salt water. Called also killifish
, minny
, and mummichog
.