# sardine

/sɑɹˈdin/ (US) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sardine
Updated: 2026-10-15

## Definition

a small silver fish from the sea that you often buy in a can.

For teachers: a small marine fish of the herring family, widely eaten fresh or preserved in oil or brine.

## Examples

- I eat sardines on toast for lunch.
- She opens a can of sardines and mixes them with lemon and olive oil for a quick dinner.
- Packed tightly in the tin, the sardines retained their rich, salty flavour that recalled small coastal markets and morning boats.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.