sardine

noun

sar·​dine sär-ˈdēn 

plural sardines also sardine

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 (such as an anchovy) resembling the true sardines or similarly preserved for food

Examples of sardine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Eating sardines straight out of the tin while wearing the patches in the comfort of my own home is my kind of self-care. — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026

With sardinemaxxing, TikTok creators extol the health benefits of sardines and share creative ways to eat more of them. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Animated drawings of blue sardines are found on both the patches and the product case, which retails for $25. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026

Grab some marcona almonds, sardine skewers, and paquitos de jamon with a glass of wine or cava for happy hour. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sardeine, from Anglo-French, from Latin sardina

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sardine

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between
• bromine

Kids Definition

sardine

noun

sar·​dine sär-ˈdēn 

plural sardines also sardine

: any of various young or very small fish often preserved in oil for food