fish

1 of 2

noun

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
b
: torpedo sense 1b
The submarine's fish hit the freighter.
fishless adjective
fishlike adjective

Illustration of fish

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 noun
fishable 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

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
The juvenile fish had hatched at Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, CDFW’s new, $35 million facility that was approved last spring. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Summer typically offers an appealing balance of relatively calm conditions and fish abundance. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 7 Mar. 2024 The sites being considered, which are in essential fish habitat conservation areas, are already protected from bottom trawling, which involves dragging a fishing net along the bottom of the ocean. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The letter also cited a USDA report that says a dolphin bit a visitor, as well as findings that the Seaquarium didn’t have enough staff on hand to manage its population of dolphins, manatees, birds, fish, sea lions, penguins and other creatures. Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 The restaurant will also offer premium fish options for those who don’t want to opt into the all-you-can-eat dining concept, Li said. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 In the ocean, sharks, large fish, octopuses, and occasionally marine mammals target young and adult sea turtles alike. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024 The line formed long before 10 a.m., when the first fish was set to be served, snaking from the harbor to the promenade through the ancient archway. Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2024 Fingers crossed there’s no fish or animal stock in it. Emily Menez, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
O’Dowd senior Nyah Greenwood fished with an astounding 21 rebounds. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Read Next Deputy transporting inmate is killed in crash with big rig, Texas officials say February 22, 2024 1:51 PM Read Next National Boat flips as cousins fish on freezing pond, Georgia officials say. Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 Insider tips: The grounds feature picturesque walking trails and citrus groves as well as a 1,300-foot, 5-acre lake that utilizes reclaimed water and is home to fish and various species of waterfowl, including cranes and geese. Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 19 Feb. 2024 Today, McDonald's sells a quarter of its breaded pollock fish sandwiches during the Lent season and many restaurants have followed suit. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024 The convenient two-in-one carrier costs $14 to $15, which seems totally worth not having to fish through my suitcase looking for my contacts, or forgetting to pack them in the first place. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 28 Feb. 2024 His frequently changing Chez TJ menu offers delicate new approaches to fish and takes advantage of seasonal produce. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 But in recent years its companies have been increasingly criticized for depleting the continent’s natural resources, from minerals to fish and now donkey skins, a censure once largely aimed at Western countries. Siyi Zhao, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Two cousins in their early 20s were out fishing on the frigid pond when their boat capsized, officials said. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024

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

Verb

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of fish was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near fish

Cite this Entry

“Fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fish. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids 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
fishlike 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

Hamilton 1808–1893 American statesman

More from Merriam-Webster on fish

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