: 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 caudalsense 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)
Noun
We're having fish for dinner.
he's rather an odd fishVerb
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
Eight years later, scientists captured a second similar-looking fish, the study said.—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 2 June 2024 Given the murky water, the shark could have accidentally bitten the man while feeding on fish.—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2024
Verb
Magnet fishing yields unusual finds People fishing with magnets have made unexpected — and macabre — discoveries before.—CBS News, 30 May 2024 In the fall of 1385, according to a 17th-century Icelandic text, a man named Ólafur went fishing off the northwestern coast of Iceland.—Andrew Chapman, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for fish
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
: 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
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