minnow

minnow — UK US /ˈmɪnəʊ/ noun [C] INFORMAL ► a person or organization that is not important and has little influence or power: »The company is a minnow in the motor racing world …   Financial and business terms

minnow — ► NOUN 1) a small freshwater fish of the carp family. 2) a small or unimportant person. ORIGIN probably from Old English, influenced by Old French menu small, minnow …   English terms dictionary

minnow — [min′ē] n. pl. minnies [min′ō] n. minnows or minnow [ME menow < or akin to OE myne, akin to OHG muniwa, prob. < IE base * meni , a kind of fish > Gr mainē, Russ men , eelpout] 1. any of various, usually small, freshwater cyprinoid fishes …   English World dictionary

Minnow — Min now, n. [OE. menow, cf. AS. myne; also OE. menuse, OF. menuise small fish; akin to E. minish, minute.] [Written also {minow}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A small European fresh water cyprinoid fish ({Phoxinus l[ae]vis}, formerly {Leuciscus… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

minnow — (n.) small freshwater fish, early 15c., probably related to O.E. myne, earlier *mynwe, a name for some kind of fish, from P.Gmc. *muniwon (Cf. M.L.G. möne, Du. meun, O.H.G. muniwa, Ger. Münne), of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE *men small.… …   Etymology dictionary

minnow — /min oh/, n., pl. (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) minnows, (esp. collectively, Rare) minnow for 1, 2, 3. 1. a small, European cyprinoid fish, Phoxinus phoxinus. 2. any other fish of the family Cyprinidae, including the carps,… …   Universalium

Minnow — For the boat in Gilligan s Island, see S.S. Minnow. For the rugby team, see Mighty Minnows. Bluntnose minnow Minnow is a general term used to refer to small freshwater and saltwater fish, especially those used as bait fish or for fishing bait.… …   Wikipedia

minnow — noun (plural minnows; also minnow) Etymology: Middle English menawe; akin to Old English myne minnow, Old High German munewa, a kind of fish Date: 15th century 1. a. a small cyprinid, killifish, or topminnow b. any of various small fish that are… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

minnow — Killifish Kil li*fish , n. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus {Fundulus} and allied genera. They live equally well in fresh and brackish water, or even in the sea. They are usually striped or barred with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

minnow — noun 1》 a small freshwater fish of the carp family, which typically forms large shoals. [Phoxinus phoxinus.]     ↘used in names of similar fishes, e.g. mudminnow.     ↘Fishing an artificial lure imitating a minnow. 2》 a small or unimportant… …   English new terms dictionary

minnow — UK [ˈmɪnəʊ] / US [ˈmɪnoʊ] noun [countable] Word forms minnow : singular minnow plural minnows 1) a small fish that lives in rivers and lakes 2) informal an unimportant person or organization …   English dictionary