shad Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun bony flesh of herring-like fish usually caught during their migration to fresh water for spawning; especially of Atlantic coast
noun herring-like food fishes that migrate from the sea to fresh water to spawn

AS. sceadda a kind of fish, akin to Prov. G. schade; cf. Ir. & Gael. sgadan a herring, W. ysgadan herrings; all perhaps akin to E. skate a fish.

(Zoöl.) Any one of several species of food fishes of the Herring family. The American species (Clupea sapidissima), which is abundant on the Atlantic coast and ascends the larger rivers in spring to spawn, is an important market fish. The European allice shad, or alose (C. alosa), and the twaite shad. (C. finta), are less important species. Written also chad. ✍ The name is loosely applied, also, to several other fishes, as the gizzard shad (see under Gizzard), called also mud shad, white-eyed shad, and winter shad.