caplin

9.9

A small fish that lives in cold northern seas and feeds seabirds and bigger sea animals

noun
/ˈkæplɪn/

Specialized

: capelán

Thousands of seabirds flocked to feed on the spawning caplin along the beach.

Examples

Fishermen caught nets full of caplin during the annual run.
In northern waters, caplin are a vital part of the food chain.
The caplin swam swiftly through the icy waters.
Many seabirds rely on caplins for their diet.
Fishermen caught nets full of caplin during the annual run.
Thousands of seabirds flocked to feed on the spawning caplin along the beach.
In northern waters, caplin are a vital part of the food chain.

Synonyms

capelin

vscaplin

1 9.1

A small fish from cold northern seas that many sea animals eat

includes Arctic and sub-Arctic ranges beyond the northern Atlantic

capelan

vscaplin

9.9

A very small northern fish eaten by seabirds, seals, and other fish

is the same species but described as simply small

Surface Forms

caplin singular

caplins plural

Etymology

The word caplin comes from older northern European names like French capelin, which was used for a 'small coastal fish'. A helpful image is a 'caplin run' when thousands of these tiny fish come to the shore, and that is why caplin today means the small fish that feeds seabirds, marine mammals, and other fish.