whiting

n. [ From White. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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 Menticirrhus Americanus, found from Maryland to Brazil, and Menticirrhus littoralis, common from Virginia to Texas; -- called also silver whiting, and surf whiting. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whiting pollack. (Zool.) Same as Pollack. --
Whiting pout (Zool.), the bib, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]