fish

1 of 2

noun

plural fish or fishes
often attributive
1
a
: an aquatic animal
usually used in combination
starfishcuttlefish
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

Example Sentences

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
After the chomp, the fish quickly disappears below the ocean surface as Haraguchi screams in terror. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023 The presumably water-free new environment in which the fish finds itself? Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2023 Her children were born in Guatemala, Russia, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, and China, and now live together outside Houston along with seven dogs, two cats, three aquatic turtles, and a fish tank. Susan Keating, Peoplemag, 14 May 2023 Enjoy them on their own for a sweet summertime treat or dice them up and use them as a topping for handcrafted fish tacos or add them to homemade mango salsa. Ashley Martens, Redbook, 10 May 2023 Bathing or standing waist-deep in saltwater for hours to fish can increase a woman’s risk of reproductive tract infections and affect normal menstruation. Denise Chow, NBC News, 7 May 2023 There’s also cipollina (a savory puff pastry stuffed with onions, provolone, and tomato); loads of seasonal vegetables like artichokes, asparagus, and fava beans; and larger plates including whole-roasted fish, steak, and the ribeye cap that Funke offers at all his restaurants. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 5 May 2023 On April 21, Rubio’s hosted its first fish taco cook-off in the test kitchen at its Carlsbad headquarters. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 May 2023 There has been tremendous progress in fish management in the last decade, with all bluefin tuna populations starting to increase. Jean Trinh, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2023
Verb
Visitors can also watch the dolphins plying the waves, or spend long summer days fishing or clamming. Karen Ruffini, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2023 Those seeking to have their toes in the sand while reeling in a catch opt for surf fishing right from the beach. Roger Sands, Forbes, 5 May 2023 In the early 20th century, North Americans fished large bluefin tunas for sport, not consumption. Jean Trinh, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2023 For tribal fishers, who fish above Bonneville Dam where sea lions rarely venture, encounters with the large mammals are scarce, said Hatch with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Gwozniac, oregonlive, 8 Apr. 2023 The wolverine was spotted by two people fishing in the river, which is near Portland. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2023 Bradley also fished Caney Lake with the teens on Wednesday and Friday to practice for the tournament on Saturday, which brought together 185 teams from across the state. Bob Mcnally, Outdoor Life, 21 Mar. 2023 For graphers, collecting signatures during awards season is like fishing at a trout farm. Drew Schwartz, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2023 People fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park, Colorado, last year. Harriet Baskas, NBC News, 8 Mar. 2023 See More

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 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

fish

1 of 2 noun
plural fish or fishes
1
a
: a water-dwelling animal
usually used in combination
starfishcuttlefish
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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