plural ciscoes
: any of various whitefishes (genus Coregonus) that have a large mouth with a long and often projecting lower jaw
especially : lake herring

Examples of cisco in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By the 1940s, the blood-suckers were killing their hosts—lake trout, lake whitefish, and ciscoes—in droves. Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 17 Jan. 2025 Perch and ciscoes – also known as tullibees – move into shallower water, drawing big, toothy predators in close pursuit. Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

short for Canadian French ciscoette

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cisco was in 1848

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Cite this Entry

“Cisco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cisco. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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