fish belonging to the minnow family, Cyprinidae, the largest family of fresh water fish in North America; includes minnows, dace, shiners, and chubs.
The family Cyprinidae, named after the Greek word for goldfish, consists of the carps and minnows. It is the largest family of fresh-water fish, with over 2000 species of cyprinids in over 200 genera. The family belongs to the order Cypriniformes.