Minnow: meaning, definitions and examples

See above - 'minnow' can also be used colloquially in some regions to describe any small fish in general.

• Kids were catching minnows in jars by the edge of the lake.
• There are plenty of minnows in this shallow pond.

Used to generally describe fish of small size. Appropriate in everyday conversation or contexts where the specific type of fish is not critical.

• The aquarium has a variety of small fish.
• Small fish darted around the coral.

Best used when describing small fish that are specifically intended to be used as bait for fishing. This term is common among anglers.

• The fisherman used bait fish to catch larger predators.
• He went to the store to buy some bait fish for his fishing trip.

Emphasizes the very small size of the fish. Suitable in casual speech or descriptive writing where size is the focus.

• Tiny fish swam near the shore, almost invisible against the sand.
• In the shallow waters, we saw clusters of tiny fish.