The word minnow can mean, in decreasing order of specificity:

• The Eurasian minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Any, particularly small, fish of the family Cyprinidae
• Any small freshwater fish, in particular one used as bait by anglers

In regional usage, it can refer to:

• The stickleback, another type of freshwater fish (term used in parts of Britain)
• Fish of family Galaxiidae , in particular the inanga , Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842) (term used in Australia/New Zealand)

Minnow was also the name of the wrecked boat featured in the television series Gilligan's Island.