|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
carp
carp hardy freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio, the largest member of the minnow family. Also known as the common carp, A native of Black, Caspian, and Aral sea basins of Eurasia, the carp has been introduced widely elsewhere in the world and has become so well established that it is called the English sparrow of the fishes. Many variations in color and form have developed. Carp have four barbels ( "whiskers" ) around the mouth and are usually dark greenish or brown (occasionally yellowish or silvery), with red on some of the fins. Most carp are scaled, although the mirror carp variant has only a few scattered scales and the leather carp has none. Carp may reach a length of 3 ft (91 cm) and a weight of 25 lbs (11.3 kg). They are bottom feeders, eating chiefly aquatic plants but also insects and small animals; their habit of rooting in the mud often makes the water unfit for the feeding and spawning of other fish. However, they are valued commercially as food fish, especially in Europe, where they are sometimes bred and raised for this purpose. Ornamental varieties are bred in Japan. Carp are classified in the phylum Chordata , class Osteichthyes, order Cypriniformes, family Cyprinidae. |
|
|
Cite this article
"carp." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "carp." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-carp.html "carp." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-carp.html |
|
carp
carp1 / kärp/ • n. (pl. same) a deep-bodied freshwater fish of the minnow family, typically with barbels around the mouth. Carp are farmed for food in some parts of the world. carp2 • v. [intr.] complain or find fault continually, typically about trivial matters: I don't want to carp about the way you did it. DERIVATIVES: carp·er n. |
|
|
Cite this article
"carp." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "carp." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-carp.html "carp." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-carp.html |
|
carp
carp Freshwater fish native to temperate waters of Asia. Introduced to the USA and Europe, it is an important food fish. It is brown or golden and has four fleshy mouth whiskers called barbels. Unlike other species of carp, the mirror carp has only a few scales and the leather carp has none. Length: to 1m (3.2ft). Family Cyprinidae; species Cyprinus carpio.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"carp." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "carp." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-carp.html "carp." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-carp.html |
|
carp
carp 1 †talk, speak XIII; †sing, recite XV; talk censoriously XVI. — ON. karpa brag, with generalization of sense; in the mod. sense infl. by, or a new formation on, L. carpere pluck (see HARVEST), (fig.) slander.
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "carp." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "carp." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-carp.html T. F. HOAD. "carp." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-carp.html |
|
carp
carp 2 freshwater fish of genus Cyprinus. XIV. — (O)F. carpe — Pr. carpa or the source late L. carpa; perh. of Gmc. origin (cf. (M)LG. karpe, (M)Du. karper, OHG. karpfo, G. karpfen, ON. karfi).
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "carp." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "carp." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-carp1.html T. F. HOAD. "carp." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-carp1.html |
|
carp
carp Freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio.
|
|
|
Cite this article
DAVID A. BENDER. "carp." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAVID A. BENDER. "carp." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-carp.html DAVID A. BENDER. "carp." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-carp.html |
|
carp
carp (Cyprinus carpio) See CYPRINIDAE.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "carp." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "carp." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-carp.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "carp." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-carp.html |
|
carp
carp
•Arp, carp, harp, scarp, sharp, tarp
•cardsharp
|
|
|
Cite this article
"carp." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "carp." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-carp.html "carp." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-carp.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
