any small carnivorous freshwater cyprinoid fish of the family Characidae, of Central and South America and Africa. They are similar to the carps but more brightly coloured
Word origin
C19: from New Latin Characinidae, from characinus, from Greek kharax a fish, probably the sea bream
characin in American English
(ˈkærəsɪn)
noun
any of a large family (Characidae, order Cypriniformes) of small, strong-jawed freshwaterfishes of South and Central America and Africa
Word origin
ModL < Gr charax, a kind of fish, orig., pointed stake