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Definition of capelin

capelin

/ˈkeɪp.lɪn/
cap · e · lin
Plural:capelin
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capelin Lexical Profile

capelin Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, silvery schooling marine fish of the smelt family, native to cold oceanic waters of the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic oceans, often used for fish meal or human consumption.

Example

"The recovery of the Atlantic cod population depends heavily on the seasonal abundance of capelin, their primary natural food source."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for capelin

• Nearby Words

cape primrose
cape town
cape verde
capelin
caper
capercaillie
capex

Word Origin & Etymology

Early 17th century: from French 'capelan', originally meaning 'chaplain', possibly due to the fish's appearance or historical association.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Capelin. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/capelin
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