smelts - Meaning, Image, Examples & Etymology - Learn English Visually

smelts

|smelts|

/smɛlts/

(smelt)

melting to extract metal

Base Form	Plural	Plural	3rd Person Sing.	Past	Past Participle	Present Participle	Noun
smelt	smeltings	smelts	smelts	smelted	smelted	smelting	smelting

Etymology

Etymology Information

'smelt' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'smeltan', where the root 'smelt-' meant 'to melt'.

Historical Evolution

'smelt' changed from Old English 'smeltan' to Middle English 'smelten' and eventually became the modern English word 'smelt'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'to melt', but over time it evolved into the specialized meaning 'to extract metal by melting'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a small silvery fish of the family Osmeridae; often found in freshwater or coastal waters. (plural: smelts)

Smelts are abundant in the river every spring.

Synonyms

small fishwhitebait

Verb 1

third person singular present of 'smelt': to extract a metal from its ore by heating and melting; to melt or fuse in order to separate metal.

The factory smelts iron ore to produce steel.

Synonyms

Examples

Last updated: 2026/01/18 03:24