A large bottom-dwelling fish of the cod family, found in the North Atlantic.
From Old Norse 'kosku' or Scandinavian origins. Entered English through fishing communities in northern Atlantic regions, particularly those with Icelandic and Norwegian contact.
The cusk is a living fossil of food cultures—it was a staple protein for Vikings and remained crucial to North Atlantic fishing communities, yet most modern English speakers have never heard of it or eaten it.
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