adj Uncommon

fishy

FIH-shee

Fishy (adj) means Tasting, smelling, or resembling fish. Example: “The sauce had a slightly fishy smell.”

adj

Tasting, smelling, or resembling fish.

"The sauce had a slightly fishy smell."

Suspicious; seeming dishonest or not quite right.

"Something about his story sounded fishy."

How to use fishy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSmelling or tasting like fish, or, informally, seeming suspicious.

Common pairings

fishy smell sound fishy something fishy

fishier comparative, fishiest superlative

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Test yourself on “fishy” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

The sauce had a slightly _____ smell.

From Middle English fishi, equivalent to fish plus -y.

Origin: Middle English

squishy

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.