fish

1 of 2

noun

ˈfish 

plural fish or fishes

often attributive

1

a

: an aquatic animal

—usually used in combination

starfish

cuttlefish

b

: any of numerous cold-blooded strictly aquatic craniate vertebrates that include the bony fishes and usually the cartilaginous and jawless fishes and that have typically an elongated somewhat spindle-shaped body terminating in a broad caudal (see caudal sense 2) fin, limbs in the form of fins when present at all, and a 2-chambered heart by which blood is sent through thoracic gills to be oxygenated

freshwater fish

tropical fish

2

: the flesh of fish used as food

We're having fish for dinner.

3

a

: a person who is caught or is wanted (as in a criminal investigation)

b

: fellow, person

an odd fish

c

: sucker sense 5a

felt sorry for the poor fish

4

: something that resembles a fish: such as

a

Fish or Fishes plural : pisces sense 1

also : pisces sense 2a

b

: torpedo sense 1b

The submarine's fish hit the freighter.

fishless

ˈfish-ləs 

adjective

fishlike

ˈfish-ˌlīk 

adjective

Illustration of fish

• 1 mandible
• 2 nasal opening
• 3 eye
• 4 cheek
• 5 operculum
• 6 dorsal fins
• 7 lateral line
• 8 caudal fin
• 9 scales
• 10 anal fin
• 11 anus
• 12 pectoral fin
• 13 pelvic fin
• 14 maxilla
• 15 premaxilla
• 16 upper jaw

fish

2 of 2

verb

fished; fishing; fishes

intransitive verb

1

: to attempt to catch fish

2

: to seek something by roundabout means

fishing for a compliment

3

a

: to search for something underwater

fish for pearls

b

: to engage in a search by groping or feeling

fishing around in her purse for her keys

transitive verb

1

a

: to try to catch fish in

b

: to fish with : use (something, such as a boat, a net, or bait) in fishing

2

a

: to go fishing for

fish salmon

b

: to pull or draw as if fishing

fished the ball from under the car

fish wires through a conduit

fishability

ˌfi-shə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

fishable

ˈfi-shə-bəl 

adjective

Phrases

fish out of water

: a person who is in an unnatural or uncomfortable sphere or situation

The country boy felt like a fish out of water in the big city.

fish to fry

: concerns or interests to pursue

—usually used with other

can't deal with that problem now; we've got other fish to fry right now

neither fish nor fowl

: one that does not belong to a particular class or category

The movie is neither fish nor fowl—it's not really a comedy, but it's too light-hearted to be called a drama.

fish or cut bait

: to make a choice between alternatives

Synonyms

Noun

• baby
• being
• bird
• bod [British]
• body
• character
• cookie
• cooky
• creature
• customer
• devil
• duck
• egg
• face
• guy
• head
• human
• human being
• individual
• life
• man
• mortal
• party
• person
• personage
• scout
• slob
• sort
• soul
• specimen
• stiff
• thing
• wight

Verb

• feel
• fumble
• grope
• scrabble

Examples of fish in a Sentence

Noun

We're having fish for dinner.

he's rather an odd fish

Verb

We spent the afternoon fishing for trout.

They fished the stream all morning.

She was fishing around in her purse for her keys.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sure, there was an artificial fish powered by human heart cells and a robot that used a locust's ear to hear, but in terms of the practical use of the technology, the field has remained somewhat empty. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 14 Feb. 2025

The restaurant’s Oyster Mushroom Ceviche was a yummy vegan dish with hearty mushrooms instead of fish. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025

Verb

His father, Edward Grieves, a stockbroker, drowned while fishing when Mr. Grieves was a child. —Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2025

Spend the day lounging on the wide, spacious beaches, fishing in clear Gulf waters, or staying satiated at quaint small businesses like Skinny’s Place, North Shore Cafe, or The Doctor’s Office speakeasy. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English fisc; akin to Old High German fisc fish, Latin piscis

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing fish

• a big fish in a little pond
• a big fish in a small pond
• bony fish
• butterfly fish
• cartilaginous fish
• clown fish
• coarse fish
• cold fish
• fish-and-chips
• fish cake
• fish duck
• fish-eye
• fish-eye lens
• fish farm
• fish finger
• fish for
• fish for compliments
• fish fry
• fish hawk
• fish in the sea
• fish ladder
• fish meal
• fish oil
• fish or cut bait
• fish out
• fish protein concentrate
• fish slice
• fish stick
• fish story
• fly fish
• flying fish
• game fish
• gefilte fish
• jawless fish
• kettle of fish
• lantern fish
• magnet-fish
• many/plenty more fish in the sea
• mosquito fish
• not the only fish in the sea
• odd fish
• odd/queer fish
• parrot fish
• pilot fish
• porcupine fish
• puffer fish
• rainbow fish
• rough fish
• scorpion fish
• sergeant fish
• Siamese fighting fish
• sport fish
• trash fish
• tropical fish
• tuna fish
• zebra fish

Kids Definition

fish

1 of 2 noun

ˈfish 

plural fish or fishes

1

a

: a water-dwelling animal

—usually used in combination

starfish

cuttlefish

b

: a cold-blooded vertebrate animal with a typically long scaly tapering body, limbs developed as fins, and a vertical tail fin that lives and breathes in water

2

: the flesh of fish used as food

fishlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

fish

2 of 2 verb

1

: to catch or try to catch fish

2

a

: to catch or try to catch fish in

fish the stream

b

: to search for something underwater

fishing for pearls

3

: to seek something by or as if by groping or feeling

fished for compliments

fished in his pocket for change

Biographical Definition

Fish

biographical name

ˈfish 

Hamilton 1808–1893 American statesman