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Webster 1913 Edition

Herring

Her′ring

(hĕr′rĭng)
,
Noun.
[OE.
hering
, AS.
hæring
; akin to D.
haring
, G.
häring
,
hering
, OHG.
haring
,
hering
, and prob. to AS.
here
army, and so called because they commonly move in large numbers. Cf.
Harry
.]
(Zool.)
One of various species of fishes of the genus
Clupea
, and allied genera, esp. the common round or English herring (
Clupea harengus
) of the North Atlantic. Herrings move in vast schools, coming in spring to the shores of Europe and America, where they are salted and smoked in great quantities.
Herring gull
(Zool.)
,
a large gull which feeds in part upon herrings; esp.,
Larus argentatus
in America, and
Larus cachinnans
in England. See
Gull
.
–
Herring hog
(Zool.)
,
the common porpoise.
–
King of the herrings
.
(Zool.)
(a)
The chimaera (
Chimaera monstrosa
) which follows the schools of herring. Called also
rabbit fish
in the
U. K.
See
Chimaera
.
(b)
The opah.

Webster 1828 Edition

Herring

HER'RING

,
Noun.
A fish of the genus Clupea. Herrings, when they migrate, move in vast shoals, and it is said that the name is formed from the Teutonic here,heer, an army or multitude. They come from high northern latitudes in the spring, and visit the shores of Europe and America, where they are taken and salted in great quantities.

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