Lexic.us

Definition of Smelt

1. Noun. Small cold-water silvery fish; migrate between salt and fresh water.

2. Verb. Extract (metals) by heating.

3. Noun. Small trout-like silvery marine or freshwater food fishes of cold northern waters.

Definition of Smelt

1. n. Any one of numerous species of small silvery salmonoid fishes of the genus Osmerus and allied genera, which ascend rivers to spawn, and sometimes become landlocked in lakes. They are esteemed as food, and have a peculiar odor and taste.

2. v. t. To melt or fuse, as, ore, for the purpose of separating and refining the metal; hence, to reduce; to refine; to flux or scorify; as, to smelt tin.

Definition of Smelt

1. Noun. Any small anadromous fish of the family Osmeridae, found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and in lakes in North America and northern part of Europe. ¹

2. Verb. (past of smell) ¹

3. Noun. Production of metal, especially iron, from ore in a process that involves melting and chemical reduction of metal compounds into purified metal. ¹

4. Noun. Any of the various liquids or semi-molten solids produced and used during the course of such production. ¹

5. Verb. to fuse two things into one, especially when involving ores; to meld ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Smelt

1. to melt or fuse, as ores [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Smelt

1. 1. Any one of numerous species of small silvery salmonoid fishes of the genus Osmerus and allied genera, which ascend rivers to spawn, and sometimes become landlocked in lakes. They are esteemed as food, and have a peculiar odour and taste. The most important species are the European smelt (Osmerus eperlans) (called also eperlan, sparling, and spirling), the Eastern American smelt (O. Mordax), the California smelt (O. Thalichthys), and the surf smelt (Hypomesus olidus). The name is loosely applied to various other small fishes, as the lant, the California tomcod, the spawn eater, the silverside. 2. A gull; a simpleton. Sand smelt, the silverside. Origin: AS. Smelt, smylt; akin to Dan. Smelt. To melt or fuse, as, ore, for the purpose of separating and refining the metal; hence, to reduce; to refine; to flux or scorify; as, to smelt tin. Origin: Of foreign origin; cf. Sw. Smalta, D. Smelten, Dan. Smelte, Icel. Smelta, G. Schmelzen OHG. Smelzan, smelzen; probably akin to Gr. Cf. Enamel, Melt, Mute, Smalt. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Smelt

smelliest smellily smelliness smelling smelling(p) smelling bottle smelling like a rose smelling salt smelling salts smelling the barn

smellings smells smells and bells smells fishy smelly smelt (current term) smelted smelter smelter's chills smelter's fever

smelter's shakes smelteries smelters smeltery smeltie smelting smeltings smelts smerk smerked

Literary usage of Smelt

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Foods and Their Adulteration: Origin, Manufacture, and Composition of Food by Harvey Washington Wiley (1911)
"The smelt belongs to a family which has a number of species, some of which ... The American smelt (Osmerus mordax) is found very abundantly on the Atlantic ..."

2. Foods and Their Adulteration: Origin, Manufacture, and Composition of Food by Harvey Washington Wiley (1907)
"The smelt belongs to a family which has a number of species, some of which are very ... The smelt is a small fish, very long in proportion to its breadth. ..."

3. Foods and Their Adulteration: Origin, Manufacture, and Composition of Food by Harvey Washington Wiley (1907)
"The smelt belongs to a family which has a number of species, some of which are very ... The smelt is a small fish, very long in proportion to its breadth. ..."

4. Foods and Their Adulteration: Origin, Manufacture, and Composition of Food by Harvey Washington Wiley (1907)
"The smelt belongs to a family which has a number of species, ... The smelt is a small fish, very long in proportion to its breadth. ..."

5. Frank Forester's Fish and Fishing of the United States and British Provinces by Henry William Herbert (1849)
"This smaller fish, so far as I know or have heard, is never taken but in the Passaic and Raritan Rivers; and in neither of these is the large smelt, ..."

6. Frank Forester's Fish and Fishing of the United States and British Provinces by Henry William Herbert (1859)
"This fish, which a good deal resembles the true smelt, both in appearance and flavor, is of a different order and family, being of the order Acanthopterygii ..."

7. An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat (1893)
"It is common to call smelt a 'strengthened ' form of meli, made by prefixing s, though there is no reason why s should be prefixed ; if the connection is ..."

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