n. any of numerous soft-finned schooling food fishes of the family Clupeidae, inhabiting the shallow waters of northern seas. The group includes the herrings, menhaden, sardines, and shad. Syn. -- herring, clupeid fish. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
n. a natural family of teleostean marine fishes which includes the herrings, shad, sardines, menhaden, and others. Syn. -- family Clupeidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]