Zool. Forms: 7 chare, charre, 7–8 charr, 8– char. [Known in books only since 17th c.; but may have been in local use long before. Etymology unknown: possibly of Celtic origin; cf. Gael. ceara red, blood-colored, cear blood; also the W. name torgoch red-bellied].
1. A small fish (Salmo salvelinus) of the trout kind, found in the lakes of mountainous districts in the north and in Wales, and esteemed a delicacy.
1662. Phillips, Chare, a kind of fish which breeds most peculiarly in Winandermere in Lancashire.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., 141. Trout. Charr.
1674. Ray, Fresh-w. Fish, 109. There are two sorts taken in Winander-mere. The greater having a red belly they call the red Charre: and the lesser having a white belly, which they call the Gilt or Gelt Charre.
1769. Pennant, Brit. Zool., III. 261. The Gelt, or Barren Charr.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 47. To pot Chars.
1863. Baring-Gould, Iceland, 100. Trout and char from the lakes supply me with food.
1882. J. Payn, Priv. Views, Hotels, 184. Among other native delicacies, they give you fresh char cooked to a turn.
Comb. 1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit., II. 381. The Char-fish … which we saw in Lancashire, and also in Switzerland.
2. The Brook Trout (Salmo fontinalis) of U.S.
1864. in Webster.
