scup
/skʌp
/noun (plural same)
A common porgy (fish) with faint dark vertical bars, occurring off the coasts of the north-west Atlantic.
- Stenotomus chrysops, family Sparidae.
- This was shortened by the early settlers in New England to scuppaug; and afterwards to scup, a better name than porgy (or paugy, as it used to be spelled at New York), and one still in use as a common name.
- When the first federal fish commissioner tried in 1871 to resolve a conflict in New England over declining scup stocks, the states were ill-equipped to deal with the issue and the commissioner gave up.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Narragansett mishcup, from mishe 'big' + cuppi 'close together' (because of the shape of the scales).