Fishy: meaning, definitions and examples

🐟

Add to dictionary

fishy

[ ˈfɪʃi ]

^{Context #1}

suspicious behavior

Having the characteristics of a fish; slimy, slippery, or unpleasant. Often used to describe behavior that seems suspicious or dishonest.

Synonyms

dubious, questionable, suspicious

Examples of usage

I don't trust him, there's something fishy about his story.
The whole situation felt fishy to me, so I decided to investigate further.

^{Context #2}

smelling like fish

Having an odor or smell reminiscent of fish. Often used to describe a bad smell, especially in relation to food.

Synonyms

malodorous, pungent, rank

Examples of usage

The fridge smelled fishy, so I had to throw out the old leftovers.
The seafood was past its prime and started to smell fishy.

Translations

Translations of the word "fishy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 suspeito

🇮🇳 संदिग्ध

🇩🇪 verdächtig

🇮🇩 mencurigakan

🇺🇦 підозрілий

🇵🇱 podejrzany

🇯🇵 怪しい

🇫🇷 suspect

🇪🇸 sospechoso

🇹🇷 şüpheli

🇰🇷 수상한

🇸🇦 مريب

🇨🇿 podezřelý

🇸🇰 podozrivý

🇨🇳 可疑的

🇸🇮 sumljiv

🇮🇸 grunsamur

🇰🇿 күмәнді

🇬🇪 ეჭვიანი

🇦🇿 şübhəli

🇲🇽 sospechoso

Word origin

The word 'fishy' originated from the Old English word 'fiscig', meaning 'fish-like'. Over time, it evolved to also describe suspicious or questionable behavior, likely due to the association of fishiness with something slippery and hard to pin down. The dual usage of 'fishy' to describe both literal and metaphorical situations has persisted throughout the centuries.