adj
Uncommon
fishy
FIH-shee
Fishy (adj) means Tasting, smelling, or resembling fish. Example: “The sauce had a slightly fishy smell.”
adj
1
Tasting, smelling, or resembling fish.
"The sauce had a slightly fishy smell."
2
Suspicious; seeming dishonest or not quite right.
"Something about his story sounded fishy."
How to use fishy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSmelling or tasting like fish, or, informally, seeming suspicious.
Common pairings
fishy smell
sound fishy
something fishy
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Word forms
- Comparative
- fishier
- Superlative
- fishiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The sauce had a slightly _____ smell.
Etymology
From Middle English fishi, equivalent to fish plus -y.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for fishy
See all rhymes for fishy →Frequently asked questions
What does “fishy” mean?
The word “fishy” means tasting, smelling, or resembling fish. In plain terms, smelling or tasting like fish, or, informally, seeming suspicious.
How do you pronounce “fishy”?
“Fishy” is pronounced FIH-shee (/ˈfɪʃi/ in IPA).
How do you use “fishy” in a sentence?
Here is “fishy” used in a sentence: “The sauce had a slightly fishy smell.”
What part of speech is “fishy”?
“Fishy” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fishy” come from?
The word “fishy” comes from Middle English. From Middle English fishi, equivalent to fish plus -y.
Is “fishy” a common word?
“Fishy” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fishy” have?
“Fishy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: tasting, smelling, or resembling fish.
