sar‧dine /ˌsɑːˈdiːn◂ $ ˌsɑːr-/ noun
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Latin sardina]

1. [countable] a small young fish that is often packed in flat metal boxes when it is sold as food

2. be packed like sardines to be crowded tightly together in a small space:
commuters packed like sardines on the evening train

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲