mackerel
Americannoun
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a food fish, Scomber scombrus, of the North Atlantic, having wavy cross markings on the back.
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any of various similar fishes, as the Atka mackerel.
noun
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a spiny-finned food fish, Scomber scombrus, occurring in northern coastal regions of the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean: family Scombridae. It has a deeply forked tail and a greenish-blue body marked with wavy dark bands on the back Compare Spanish mackerel
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any of various other fishes of the family Scombridae, such as Scomber colias (Spanish mackerel) and S. japonicus (Pacific mackerel)
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of mackerel
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French, perhaps same word as Middle French maquerel pimp < Middle Dutch makelare broker (by metathesis), equivalent to makel ( en ) to bring together + -are -er 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Judah explained that the Tonga Trench sighting also establishes a new depth record for the entire order of Lamniformes, also known as the mackerel sharks.
From Science Daily • Jul. 8, 2026
Tinned fish works beautifully, especially tuna, mackerel or sardines.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
She has cultivated a down-to-earth image, posting photos on social media of her meal of tinned mackerel on rye bread and cleaning windows at home.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
Marine groups have recommended a cut in the amount of North East Atlantic mackerel being caught to prevent a collapse in stocks.
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026
Then another and another until there’s a whole school of tinker mackerel darting up to nibble on the chum, fighting one another for the pieces I been cutting up and dropping into the water.
From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
