from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Herring \Her"ring\ (h[e^]r"r[i^]ng), n. [OE. hering, AS.
h[ae]ring; akin to D. haring, G. h[aum]ring, hering, OHG.
haring, hering, and prob. to AS. here army, and so called
because they commonly move in large numbers. Cf. {Harry}.]
(Zool.)
One of various species of fishes of the genus {Clupea}, and
allied genera, esp. the common round or English herring
({Clupea harengus}) of the North Atlantic. Herrings move in
vast schools, coming in spring to the shores of Europe and
America, where they are salted and smoked in great
quantities.
[1913 Webster]
{Herring gull} (Zool.), a large gull which feeds in part upon
herrings; esp., {Larus argentatus} in America, and {Larus
cachinnans} in England. See {Gull}.
{Herring hog} (Zool.), the common porpoise.
{King of the herrings}. (Zool.)
(a) The chim[ae]ra ({Chimaera monstrosa}) which follows the
schools of herring. Called also {rabbit fish} in the U.
K. See {Chim[ae]ra}.
(b) The opah.
[1913 Webster]