Smelt can refer to two different things:
- Smelt (fish): Smelt is a family of small fish, the Osmeridae, found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans, as well as rivers, streams, and lakes in Europe, North America, and Northeast Asia. They are closely related to salmon and trout and have a similar structure. Some key characteristics of smelt fish include:
- Slender carnivores with delicate, oily flesh and a distinctive odor and taste.
- A small, adipose (fleshy) fin, similar to trout.
- They spawn short distances upstream, in the surf, or in ponds.
- The American smelt (Osmerus mordax) has been introduced from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and supports a sizable commercial fishery.
- Smelt (verb): Smelt can also be a verb that means to melt or fuse a substance, such as ore, often with an accompanying chemical change, usually to separate the metal. This process is known as smelting and is used to obtain or refine metal.
