: 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.
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Noun
But fish aren't usually afforded that kind of praise.—Ari Daniel, NPR, 25 Aug. 2025 During a stay, visitors are welcome to get acquainted with the resident iguanas and paddle along the shoreline in search of colorful reef fish, all while enjoying palatial accommodations and fine dining along the way.—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
London — Last week, British foreign minister David Lammy went fishing with US Vice President JD Vance at his retreat in the English countryside.—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025 Invest In Growing New Talent Stop fishing in the same pond.—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fish
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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