Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mackerel

/ˈmæk(ə)ɹəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.08 in modern English

Syllables
mack-e-rel
IPA
/ˈmæk(ə)ɹəl/
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Certain smaller edible fish, principally true mackerel and Spanish mackerel in family Scombridae, often speckled,

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Certain smaller edible fish, principally true mackerel and Spanish mackerel in family Scombridae, often speckled,

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A true mackerel, any fish of tribe Scombrini (Scomber spp., Rastrelliger spp.)

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Certain other similar small fish in families Carangidae, Gempylidae, and Hexagrammidae.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A regular pattern, similar to fish scales, of undulating small clouds with sky visible between them.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A pimp; also, a bawd.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English mackerell, macrell, macrelle, makarell, makerel, makerell, makerelle, makrel, makrell, makyrelle, from Old French maquerel. Further origin unknown.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: mackerell, maquerel, makerel, makelare

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Atka mackerel Atlantic mackerel banded mackerel butterfly mackerel cero mackerel chub mackerel cold as a mackerel common mackerel

Frequently Paired Words

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce mackerel?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈmæk(ə)ɹəl/.
What does mackerel mean?
Certain smaller edible fish, principally true mackerel and Spanish mackerel in family Scombridae, often speckled,
Where does mackerel come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce mackerel

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “mackerel”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈmæk(ə)ɹəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “mackerel”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “mackerel” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.