An anchovy is a small, saltwater fish used as food, often canned or cured. In nutrition and cuisine it’s valued for its intense, salty flavor and high omega-3 content. The term also appears in culinary naming (anchovy fillet) and is common in recipes, menus, and fish-related discussions.
"The pizza was topped with anchovy slices and olives."
"Anchovy paste is a common pantry staple for boosting umami in sauces."
"In the Mediterranean, anchovy fillets are salted and reused in dishes."
"The fisherman brought back several anchovies, small but plentiful."
Anchovy comes from the Latin word anchiova, which itself traces to the Greek askoú (áσκάυ) and the old Italian formen anchòva, reflecting long-standing Mediterranean usage. The English form anchored in 17th-century nautical and culinary texts, where salt-cured fish were common across coastal communities. Early Latin and Greek sources described small, oily fish used in sauces; the term traveled through Romance languages into English via trade routes, retaining a general sense of a small, oily fish. Over time, anchovy acquired specialized culinary meanings (anchovy paste, anchovy fillets) as preserving methods (salting, curing) and regional recipes popularized the fish in Europe and beyond. In modern usage, “anchovy” connotes a distinct strong, salty, umami-forward flavor that is often associated with Mediterranean cuisine and pizza toppings, while the plural form “anchovies” is standard when referring to multiple individuals or fillets.
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Words that rhyme with "Anchovy"
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Pronounce as US /ˈæn.tʃoʊ.vi/ or UK /ˈæn.tʃə.vɪ/; main stress on the first syllable. Start with an open front vowel /æ/, then /n/; /tʃ/ as in “ch”; the second syllable uses a long /oʊ/ in US, and a closer /ə/ or /ɪ/ in UK depending on accent. You’ll want a crisp /tʃ/ cluster and a clear, syllabic 2nd vowel. Audio references include standard dictionaries and pronunciation sites such as Pronounce and Forvo.
Common errors: misplacing stress (putting it on the second syllable), mispronouncing the /tʃ/ as /ʃ/ or the /v/ as /w/, and not clearly shaping the final /i/ or /ɪ/. Correction: emphasize the first syllable /ˈæn/ with a crisp /tʃ/ following, then ensure the /oʊ/ vowel is long in US English (or /ə/ or /ɪ/ in some UK variants) and final /i/ is a clear, unstressed vowel. Practice with minimal pairs and slow repetition to lock in the correct vowel sounds.
US tends to have /ˈæn.tʃoʊ.vi/ with a pronounced /oʊ/ and rhotic /r/ absence; UK often favors /ˈæn.tʃə.vi/ with a schwa in the second syllable and a more relaxed final vowel; Australian typically aligns with US but may reduce the final vowel slightly and produce a non-rhotic or near-rhotic sound depending, with a lighter /v/ and a shorter /ɪ/ or /iː/ in some speakers.
Anchovy features a tricky consonant cluster around /tʃ/ and a diphthong in the second syllable (/oʊ/ in US) or a reduced vowel (/ə/ or /ɪ/) in UK. The sequence /tʃoʊ/ can run together when spoken quickly, and non-native speakers often misplace stress or misarticulate the /æ/ and /ə/ contrast. Focusing on starting with a crisp /æ/, then a compact /tʃ/ and a distinct, long or reduced middle vowel helps.
Anchovy features a clear onset /æ/ in the first syllable and a mid-to-high vowel in the final syllable; the /ɳ/ nasalization isn’t present; keep the final /vi/ as a separate syllable in careful speech rather than blending into /vɪ/. Ensure the /tʃ/ is affricated cleanly and avoid substituting with /ʃ/ or softening the /v/ to /w/ in careful pronunciation.
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