whitebait

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun minnows or other small fresh- or saltwater fish (especially herring); usually cooked whole
noun the edible young of especially herrings and sprats and smelts

From white + bait.

He ordered himself, too, the very dinner the boy had always chosen—soup, whitebait, cutlets, and a tart. — The Forsyte Saga - Complete, John Galsworthy
Also deviled whitebait; also shrimps of choice quality; and a platter of small soft-shell crabs of a most superior breed. — Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain
Old Dubosc may be a bit mad, but he’s a sort of patriot after all.” Father Brown continued to consume whitebait. — The wisdom of Father Brown, G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton

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