what is a herring
Full Definition of HERRING. 1. : either of two food fishes (genus Clupeus): a: one (C. harengus) that is abundant in the temperate and colder parts of the North Atlantic and that in the adult state is preserved by smoking or salting and in the young state is extensively canned and sold as sardines b: one (C.pallasi syn.. : either of two food fishes (genus Clupeus): a: one (C. harengus) that is abundant in the temperate and colder parts of the North Atlantic and that in the adult state is preserved by smoking or salting and in the young state is extensively canned and sold as sardines b: one (C. pallasi syn.