Noun | 1. | Osmeridae - smelts fish family - any of various families of fish Isospondyli, order Isospondyli - most primitive teleost fishes; all are soft-finned: salmon; trout; herring; shad; sardines; anchovies; whitefish; smelts; tarpon smelt - small trout-like silvery marine or freshwater food fishes of cold northern waters genus Osmerus, Osmerus - type genus of the Osmeridae genus Mallotus, Mallotus - capelins |