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Definition of jack smelt
jack smelt
Plural:jack smelts
jack smelt Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A marine fish of the silverside family native to the Pacific coast of North America, characterized by its elongated, schooling behavior and silvery stripe.
Example
"Local anglers often catch jack smelt off the coastal piers of California using small hooks and bait."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for jack smeltWord Nuance & Usage
Despite its common name, the jack smelt is not a true smelt (family Osmeridae) but rather a species of Neotropical silverside (family Atherinopsidae). It is frequently spelled as a single word, 'jacksmelt'.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the English word 'jack', traditionally used in colloquial naming to denote a common or particular variety of an animal, combined with 'smelt', from Old English 'smelt' or 'smeolt', referring to small, silvery fish.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Jack smelt. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/jack smelt