n.
Pronunciation: sär- ' d ē n
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural sardines also sardine
Etymology: Middle English sardeine, from Anglo-French, from Latin sardina
Date: 14th century
1 : any of several small or immature fishes of the herring family especially : the European pilchard ( Sardina pilchardus ) especially when young and of a size suitable for preserving for food
2 : any of various small fishes (as an anchovy) resembling the true sardines or similarly preserved for food