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Definition of sprat
sprat
/spræt/
sprat
Plural:sprats
sprat Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
7
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
sprat Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A small, silvery marine schooling fish of the herring family (Sprattus sprattus), commonly found in European waters and widely consumed as food.
Example
"The local fishermen returned to the harbor with nets full of shimmering sprats."
2
British A small, insignificant person, or an active young child.
Example
"The little sprat was running around the playground causing trouble before lunch."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for sprat Antonyms
View all antonyms for spratWord Nuance & Usage
In British English, 'sprat' frequently appears in the idiom 'to throw a sprat to catch a mackerel,' meaning to risk something small to secure a much larger gain.
• Rhymes for sprat
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 16th century; of unknown origin, though possibly related to the Old English 'sprot' (a shoot or sprout), reflecting the fish's small size.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sprat. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sprat