bream

Meanings

1. A European fresh-water cyprinoid fish of the genus Abramis, little valued as food. Several species are known.
2. A species in that genus, Abramis brama.
3. An American fresh-water fish, of various species of Lepomis and allied genera, which are also called sunfishes and pondfishes.
4. A marine sparoid fish of the genus Pagellus, and allied genera.

1. To clean (e.g. a ship's bottom of clinging shells, seaweed, etc.) by the application of fire and scraping.

1. A surname.
2. A village in West Dean parish, Forest of Dean district, Gloucestershire, England (OS grid ref SO6005).
3. An unincorporated community in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States.

Etymology

From Middle English breme, from Old French breme, bresme, braisme, brasme (whence French brème), from Frankish *brahsma, *brahsima (whence Dutch brasem), from Proto-West Germanic *brahsmō (whence Old High German brahsma, brahsmo, brahsina, brehsina (whence German Brasse, Brachse (“bream”))), from Proto-Germanic *brahsmô, *brahsinō, *brahsmaz (“bream”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *brehwanaz (“shining, glittery, sparkly”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerek- (“to shine”) (see braid (verb)).