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Definition of dace
dace
/deɪs/
dace
Plural:dace
dace Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
dace Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A small, swift-swimming freshwater fish of the carp family (Cyprinidae), native to the rivers and streams of Europe and northern Asia.
Example
"The angler cast a light fly into the clear stream, hoping to catch a common dace."
2
North American Any of various similar small freshwater fishes of the minnow family found in North America.
Example
"During the ecological survey, the researchers recorded several species of dace inhabiting the shallow creek."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for dace• Rhymes for dace
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'dars', derived from Old French 'dars' and Late Latin 'dardus' meaning 'dart', a reference to the fish's swift, darting movements in the water.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dace. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dace