n. [ AS. smelt, smylt; akin to Dan. smelt. ] 1. (Zool.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The most important species are the European smelt (Osmerus eperlans) (called also eperlan, sparling, and spirling), the Eastern American smelt (Osmerus mordax), the California smelt (Osmerus 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 silversides. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: A gull; a simpleton. [ Obs. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sand smelt (Zool.), the silverside. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. & p. p. of Smell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Smelted; p. pr. & vb. n. Smelting. ] [ Of foreign origin; cf. Sw. smälta, D. smelten, Dan. smelte, Icel. smelta, G. schmelzen OHG. smelzan, smelzen; probably akin to Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;. Cf. Enamel, Melt, Mute, v. i., Smalt. ] (Metal.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, smelts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A house or place for smelting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fish, the bib. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Smelt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Smelting furnace (Metal.), a furnace in which ores are smelted or reduced. [ 1913 Webster ]