1. plural of characin; small to medium-sized freshwater fish of the family Characidae, native to South America and Africa, often kept in aquariums
Usage: zoology; ichthyology

Examples

• The aquarium was filled with colorful characins darting between the plants.
• Characins are popular among hobbyist fish keepers because they are hardy and relatively easy to care for.
• Many species of characins are schooling fish that prefer to live in groups.
• The pet store received a shipment of characins from South America last week.
• Characins typically have small mouths and feed on small insects and plant matter in the wild.