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
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)
c
: sucker sense 5a
felt sorry for the poor fish
4
: something that resembles a fish: such as
a
b
: torpedo sense 1b
The submarine's fish hit the freighter.
fished; fishing; fishes
1
: to catch or 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
1
a
: to catch or try to catch fish in
fishing the stream
b
: to fish with : use (something, such as a boat, a net, or bait) in fishing
Fishing a fly … often produces a series of multiple hits …—
Nelson Bryant
Nelson Bryant2
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
see also:
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
Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Fishermen should dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans, and not throw them into water where alligators may live.
—Mark Price
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
The waters near the border are rich with sea life, but few dare to fish there because the area is heavily restricted and closely watched.
—Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fish
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The oldest find was a wreck from the 5th century BC, Andreo said, adding that the ship would have carried fish sauce produced in the southern Spanish city of Cádiz, and was probably carrying that cargo through the Mediterranean.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Fishermen should dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans, and not throw them into water where alligators may live.
—Mark Price
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
Guests can fish or crab off the hotel's docks or have a picnic on the lawn.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
The waters near the border are rich with sea life, but few dare to fish there because the area is heavily restricted and closely watched.
—Mike Valerio, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fish
Cite this Entry
“Fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fish. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fish
1 of 2 noun
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
fish
2 of 2 verb1
: 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
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