candlefish
/ˈkændəlˌfɪʃ/
noun
- A small oily fish (Thaleichthys pacificus) found along the Pacific coast of North America, so rich in oil that it was once dried and used as a candle.
- Candlefish oil is still used today in traditional cooking and medicine.
- The candlefish is also called eulachon and is prized for its high oil content.
- Native peoples of the Northwest dried candlefish and threaded a wick through them to use as lamps.
Synonyms