ˈshad, -aa(ə)- noun
( plural shad or shads )
Etymology: from (assumed) Middle English shad, from Old English sceadd; akin to Latin scatēre to bubble, gush, be abundant, Lithuanian su skàsti to leap up
1.
a. : any of several clupeid fishes (genus Alosa ) that differ from the typical herrings in having a relatively deep body and in being anadromous and that are extremely important food fishes of Europe and No. America ; especially : a common food fish ( A. sapidissima ) of the Atlantic coast of No. America that is naturalized along the Pacific coast and is bluish green above with silvery sides and undersurface — see allice shad , river shad , twaite shad
b. : any of several other clupeid fishes (as a menhaden) — usually used with a qualifying term; see gizzard shad
2. : any of various fishes of families other than Clupeidae: as
a. : broad shad ; also : any of several similar mojarras
b. southern Africa : blue-fish 1