Whit"ing (?), n. [From White.]
1. Zool. (a)
A common European food fish (Melangus vulgaris) of the Codfish family; -- called also fittin.
(b)
A North American fish (Merlucius vulgaris) allied to the preceding; -- called also silver hake.
(c)
Any one of several species of North American marine sciaenoid food fishes belonging to genus Menticirrhus, especially M. Americanus, found from Maryland to Brazil, and M. littoralis, common from Virginia to Texas; -- called also silver whiting, and surf whiting.
⇒ Various other fishes are locally called whiting, as the kingfish (a), the sailor's choice (b), the Pacific tomcod, and certain species of lake whitefishes.
2.
Chalk prepared in an impalpable powder by pulverizing and repeated washing, used as a pigment, as an ingredient in putty, for cleaning silver, etc.
Whiting pollack. Zool. Same as Pollack. -- Whiting pout Zool., the bib, 2.
© Webster 1913.