fishing

The word “fishing” means the activity or sport of catching fish. In plain terms, the activity of catching fish, as a hobby or a business.

“Fishing” is pronounced FIH-shihng (/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “fishing” used in a sentence: “They spent the weekend fishing on the lake.”

Words with a similar meaning to “fishing” include piscatology, piscation, piscicide, piscicapture, the gentle craft and fishery.

“Fishing” is a noun.

The word “fishing” comes from Middle English. From Middle English fischynge, from fish plus -ing.

“Fishing” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Fishing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the activity or sport of catching fish.

Fishing takes many forms. It can be freshwater or saltwater, and popular styles include fly fishing, coarse fishing, sea and deep-sea fishing, and ice fishing. There is also a broad split between recreational fishing, done for sport or relaxation, and commercial fishing, which supplies fish for food.

Angling is a specific kind of fishing that uses a rod, line, and hook, and it usually refers to the recreational sport. Fishing is the broader term, covering angling as well as methods like netting and trawling, and it includes large-scale commercial operations, not just sport.

The basics for most fishing are a rod, a reel, and a line fitted with hooks, plus bait or lures to attract the fish. Anglers often add floats, weights, a landing net, and a tackle box. The exact gear depends on the fish you want and the water you fish.

It can be both. Many people fish purely as a relaxing hobby or pastime, while competitive angling is recognised as a sport with matches and records. Fishing can also be an occupation, as in commercial fishing, so the same word covers leisure, sport, and livelihood.