Word Study
loach
CIDE DICTIONARY
loach, n. [OE. loche, F. loche.].
Any one of several small, fresh-water, cyprinoid fishes of the genera Cobitis , Nemachilus , and allied genera, having six or more barbules around the mouth. They are found in Europe and Asia. The common European species (Nemachilus barbatulus ) is used as a food fish. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
loach, n. any small edible freshwater fish of the family Cobitidae.
Etymology
ME f. OF loche, of unkn. orig.
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