(Gentis, Morrhua. Cuvier.) A small fish common to our coast, but which become very abundant after the first frost; hence the name of Frost Fish by which it is also known.--Storer, Fishes of Massachusetts.
Dr. J. V. C. Smith believes the tomcod to be the same as a fish known in Europe as the tacaud of Cuvier, and that tom-cod is a corruption of the Indian name, tacaud, i. e. plenty fish, as this little fish was well known to our aborigines.