Fish — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈfish/

Meaning & Definition of Fish

Fish (noun)

  1. an aquatic animal —usually used in combination
  2. 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 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
  3. the flesh of fish used as food

Fish (verb)

  1. to catch or attempt to catch fish
  2. to seek something by roundabout means
  3. to search for something underwater

Fish (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to search for something blindly or uncertainly

    "take a minute to fish for some change to drop in the donation box"

    similar: feel, fumble, grope, scrabble
    related: grabble, cast about, hunt, look, reach, seek (out), capture, clutch, corral, get, grab, nab, nail, seize, snatch, comb, dig (through), dredge, rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour

Fish (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a member of the human race

    "he's rather an odd fish"

    similar: baby, being, bird, bod (British), body, character, cookie, creature, customer, devil, duck, egg, face, guy, head, human, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person, personage, scout, slob, sort, soul, specimen, stiff, thing, wight, son of man
    related: hominid, homo, humanoid, brother, fellow, fellowman, neighbor, celebrity, personality, self, somebody
    near: animal, beast, beastie, brute, critter

Related Entry: Fish (for) (verb)

Fish (for) is a different word from Fish. The synonyms below are for fish (for), not for fish.

  1. as in angle (for)

    similar: angle (for), ask (for), court, flirt (with), invite, woo, hunt, search, seek, provoke, tempt

Related Entry: Cold fish (noun)

Cold fish is a different word from Fish. The synonyms below are for cold fish, not for fish.

  1. a cold aloof person

    "her husband is such a cold fish that I'm reluctant to have them over for dinner"

    similar: cold turkey, iceberg, icicle
    related: clam, stick, wallflower, prig, snob, snoot, snot, stuffed shirt
    near: dear, sweetheart, sweetie

Related Entry: Kettle of fish (phrase)

Kettle of fish is a different word from Fish. The synonyms below are for kettle of fish, not for fish.

  1. a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape

    "I'm used to paddling, but those rapids are a whole other kettle of fish."

    similar: bind, box, catch-22, corner, dilemma, fix, hole, impasse, jackpot (chiefly West), jam, mire, pickle, predicament, quagmire, rabbit hole, rattrap, spot, sticky wicket, swamp
    related: difficulty, node, hot water, soup, pinch, plight, quandary, scrape, trouble, deadlock, halt, logjam, stalemate, standstill, clutch, crisis, crossroad, emergency, exigency, juncture, strait

Related Entry: Kettles of fish (phrase)

Kettles of fish is a different word from Fish. The synonyms below are for kettles of fish, not for fish.

  1. a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape

    "I'm used to paddling, but those rapids are a whole other kettle of fish."

    similar: binds, boxes, catch-22's, corners, dilemmas, fixes, holes, impasses, jackpots (chiefly West), jams, mires, pickles, predicaments, quagmires, rabbit holes, rattraps, spots, sticky wickets, swamps
    related: difficulties, nodes, hot waters, soups, pinches, plights, quandaries, scrapes, troubles, deadlocks, halts, logjams, stalemates, standstills, clutches, crises, crossroads, emergencies, exigencies, junctures, straits

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fish

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fish:

British: bod
feel, fumble, grope, scrabble, baby, being, bird, body, character, cookie, creature, customer, devil, duck, egg, face, guy, head, human, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, party, person, personage, scout, slob, sort, soul, specimen, stiff, thing, wight, son of man

Related Words for Fish

grabble, cast about, hunt, look, reach, seek (out), capture, clutch, corral, get, grab, nab, nail, seize, snatch, comb, dig (through), dredge, rake, ransack, rifle, rummage, scour, hominid, homo, humanoid, brother, fellow, fellowman, neighbor

Near Antonyms of Fish

animal, beast, beastie, brute, critter

Word Forms of Fish

Inflections: fishes, fished, fishing

Derived words: fishless (adjective), fishlike (adjective), fishability (noun), fishable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Fish

Middle English, from Old English fisc; akin to Old High German fisc fish, Latin piscis

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Fish

Words & Phrases Containing Fish

fish and chips, fish cake, fish duck, fish-eye, fish farm, fish finger, fish fry

Frequently Asked Questions about Fish

What does "Fish" mean?

"Fish" means an aquatic animal —usually used in combination. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an aquatic animal —usually used in combination. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fish"?

Other words for "Fish" include feel, fumble, grope, scrabble, baby, being, bird and bod. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fish" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fish"?

There are 71 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fish". Common alternatives include feel, fumble, grope, scrabble, baby, being, bird, bod, body and character.

How do you use "Fish" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fish" in a sentence: "take a minute to fish for some change to drop in the donation box"; "he's rather an odd fish".

Is "Fish" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Fish" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Fish" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Fish" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Fish"?

"Fish" is pronounced /ˈfish/.

What is the origin of the word "Fish"?

"Fish" comes from Middle English, from Old English fisc; akin to Old High German fisc fish, Latin piscis. First known use: before 12th century.