What is the plural of Fish?
Do you say fish or fishes?
The plural of fish is almost always …. fish. (No -es at the end)
- 1 fish
- 2 fish (NOT 2 fishes)
Some example sentences:
- I caught three fish yesterday down at the wharf. (caught is the past tense of catch)
- I bought some fish for my aquarium. (bought is the past tense of buy)
There is even a famous book by Dr. Seuss called One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Note how it is two fish and not two fishes.
When can I use fishes?
Fish is used when we are counting individual fish …. one fish, two fish, three fish… etc.
A number of fish of the same species are called ‘fish.’
However in marine biology / zoology etc., ‘fishes‘ refers to more than one species of fish.
We are talking about entire species and NOT individual fish numbers.
- I read a book about the freshwater fishes of New Zealand.
This book talks about the different species of freshwater fish in New Zealand. We use fishes because there is more than one species. We are not counting the number of fish, just the amount of species.
Fish or Fishes?
Imagine you have an small aquarium. In that aquarium there are 6 fish. This means there are total of 6 individual fish. They may be of different types but we are interested in the number of fish and not how many species there are.
If I say there are 6 fishes in my aquarium, it refers to 6 different species of fish. There might by a goldfish, a clownfish and four others including a piranha (ok, maybe not a piranha as it would each the other fish).
However in general everyday English, we would most likely say:
- There are 6 types of fish in my aquarium OR
- There are 6 species of fish in my aquarium.
Also, if you have a bucket of fish. There may be more than one type or species of fish in it though you will normally say:
- I have a bucket of fish. (not fishes)
The verb To fish
To fish means to try and catch fish.
If we conjugate the verb in the simple present tense, it becomes…
- I fish, you fish, we fish, they fish, he fishes, she fishes, it fishes.
Fishes is the third person conjugation of the verb To fish in the simple present tense.
- He fishes from his small boat every afternoon.
Bonus information about Fish
What do you call a group of fish swimming together in the same direction?
A group of fish swimming together is called a school of fish. We don’t say a “group of fish.”
- A school of fish swam by me while I was scuba diving in Fiji.
Something is fishy
Something is fishy means that something appears suspicious and not right. (Informal)
- That guy over there looks fishy. I’m sure he is planning to steal from someone.
- Something doesn’t feel right. I’m sure something fishy is going on.
Did you know there are other words that don’t change in plural form?
- 1 deer – 2 deer
- 1 sheep – 2 sheep
In Summary
- Fish – singular and plural form when counting individual fish
- Fishes – refers to more than one species of fish
Unless you are a marine biologist, you will always use fish as the plural of fish.
Summary Chart
If you enjoy being out on the water, you might like to try catching some fish. Or is that “fishes? Although both are proper ways to spell the plural form of fish, there are rules about how to use them as both a noun and a verb.
The word fish can describe an animal species, but also represents an action. Both fish and fishes are appropriate to use in both noun and verb form, but they have some specific rules. Let’s look at what this means and how fish and fishes should be used.
What is the Plural of Fish in English?
Fish can be a plural form and singular form and is used when referring to a single group or collection of a specific species of fish. Fishes is a more scientific use when referring to types of fish in a group or collection. You can also conjugate fish to fishes when used as a verb.
When to Use Fish
When used as a noun, fish describes as singular fish or multiple fish. It is a common, well-recognized word and does not require the addition of an “s” to make it plural.
Use fish to describe one fish, a school of fish, or a specific fish species. For example:
- The fish in Lake Ignace were not biting over the weekend.
- We saw three Manta-Ray fish during our glass bottom ocean cruise.
- My fish, Bob, was all alone in the fishbowl before I bought him a snail.
As a verb, use fish to describe the action of catching or trying to catch a fish. It conjugates as a regular verb. For example:
- I love to go fishing with my father.
- Every chance I get, I fish with my group of friends from High School.
- I fished that pond every day after school for a year.
When to Use Fishes
As a noun, fishes is a scientific term that describes more than one species of fish in a group. Fish can be used in its stead, but fishes helps you recognize there is more than one type of fish being referred to. For example:
- The biologist was studying the diversity of the fishes in the isolated mountain lake.
- We saw 15 different types of fishes on our trip.
As a verb, fishes is the simple present conjugation of the word. For example:
- He fishes with a unique cast that allows the fly to hover just above the water’s surface.
- She fishes with her children every chance she gets.
How to Use Fish in a Sentence
These fish emit distress signals that are picked up on by the mulloway. [Fishing World]
The fish are then sold as salted dry or canned. [Food Science, Sari Edelstein]
No fish were registered on Upriver Lakes, where the season has now closed after the 90 percent harvest cap was reached on Sunday. [Fon du Lac Reporter]
How to Use Fishes in a Sentence
Those most in jeopardy were the smaller fishes with specialized eating and sheltering habits. [U.S. News & World Report]
Swim with the fishes at Factory Obscura’s latest art installation. [News 9]
Let’s Review
Fish and fishes are correct spellings and serve as a noun in both singular and plural forms or as a verb. Fish is an acceptable use to describe a single fish or any group of fish. Fishes is used to describe multiple species of fish collectively and is more scientific.
As a verb, fish describes the action of fishing, and fishes is the simple present tense of the word.
If you have ever wondered what the plural form of fish is and also are curious about more about the word fish, look no further. This article will not only cover the plural noun form but also cover the definition of fish, the history and origin of the word, how to use it correctly, synonyms, and examples of the word in context to help you fully understand the word.
What Is The Definition Of The Word Curriculum
As Merriam-Webster phrases it:
- Noun
- An aquatic animal – usually used in combination
- Starfish
- Cuttlefish
- Any of numerous cold-blooded strictly aquatic craniate vertebrates that include the boy fishes and usually the cartilaginous and jawless fishes and that 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
- The flesh of fish used as food
- We’re having fish for dinner
- A person who is caught or is wanted (as in a criminal investigation)
- Fellow, person
- An odd fish
- Sucker
- Felt sorry for the poor fish
- Something that resembles a fish: such as
- Fish
- Torpedo
- The submarine’s fish hit the freighter
- Fish out of water
- A person who is an unnatural or uncomfortable sphere or situation
- The country boy felt like a fish out of water in the big city
- Fish to fry
- Concerns or interests to pursue – usually used with other
- Can’t deal with that problem now; we’ve got other fish to fry right now
- Neither fish nor fowl
- One that does not belong to a particular class or category
- The movie is neither fish nor fowl – it’s not really a comedy, but it’s too light-hearted to be called a drama.
- Verb
- To attempt to catch fish
- To seek something by roundabout means
- Fishing for a compliment
- Fish for pearls
- To engage in a search by groping or feeling
- Fishing around in her purse for her keys
History And Origin Of The Word
If we look back to the Latin root of the word fish, you might not see much resemblance. Fish in Latin is piscis, however, when switching from the p to f while going from Latin to Germanic languages, it becomes more apparent. In German fish is Fisch and in Swedish fish is Fisk, so landing on fish for English should make a lot more sense.
What Is The Correct Plural Of Fish?
Fish is a word that is the same for both the plural and singular form. If you are referring to one fish, two, or ninety-nine fish you leave the word alone in the English language. Although we tend to want to add extra letters to words to make them in common plural form, there are more words than you probably realize in the English language that are the same for their regular plural or singular form.
Can You Say 2 Fishes?
So if there isn’t a plural form for an individual fish, why is it that you have probably heard people say fishes, perhaps you have even seen it used in your biology textbook. It is correct to assume that you would be wrong to use fishes to refer to two or more undetermined number of fish, however, fishes is also a word. Fishes is the correct way of referring to two or more different species of fish or different kinds of fish. You can also add an apostrophe (fish’s) to describe something about a particular fish.
Synonyms
- Angle – shape formed by two lines meeting at a point
- Bait – something for luring
- Bob – bounce up and down
- Cast – a throw to the side
- Chum – friend
- Extract – physically remove, draw out
- Extricate – get out of a situation; relieve of responsibility
- Find – catch sight of, lay hands-on
- Net – capture
- Trawl – fish with a trawl net
Examples Of The Word In Context
- Not only are the fish in these waters healthy, but they are big. There are currently 112 state records of fish (The types of fish: trout, catfish, salmon, tuna, sturgeon), crustaceans (crab and lobster), and mollusks (abalone). – USA Today
- A fisherman reeling in a 450-pound Goliath grouper was suddenly pulled over the boat’s side, and in the process of holding on, he lost the fishing rod to the fish in a wild episode aptly called the “unforgettable fishing miracle,” as you’ll soon see why. – USA Today
- “I couldn’t get a good shot – just fish silhouettes,” said Dr. Karen Osborn from the Smithsonian Institution. – BBC
- A flying fishy not only has to protect themselves, but also a thousand of their eggs. Also, the male weedy sea dragon must take the female’s eggs to look after. – BBC
- To ensure no one is buying plastic-laden fish, geolocation information will show the catch was far from populated coastlines, and inspection certifications can be uploaded to demonstrate that the product passed quality checks. – BBC
- “Simply put, we are running out of fish,” says Daniel Pauly an ichthyologist, and a professor of fisheries at the Institute of Oceans and Fisheries at the University of British Columbia. “And the situation, the trend line, is getting worse every year.” – BBC
- Every year since 1991 Fish Factor has selected “picks and pans” for Alaska’s seafood industry — a no-holds-barred look back at some of the year’s best and worst fishing highlights — and my choice for the biggest fish story of the year. – Anchorage Daily News
- Further, a team of U.S. researchers has found that exposure to oil impacts the developing hearts of larger predator fish, including tuna—which are plentiful in Mauritian waters—and also causes jaw defects, small eyes and other malformations. – Scientific American
- The post-Civil War period spawned hunting excursions as a pastime for the well-to-do. Groups chartered railroad cars to travel to the Big Lake area for extended hunts in a time when there were no regulations, state or federal, on the taking of wild game. The trains that took out timber also provided transportation for the products of the market hunters–deer, ducks, and fish. – Arkansas Online
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Asked by: Lillie Abbott
Score: 4.3/5
(11 votes)
See the full definition for fish in the English Language Learners Dictionary. fish. noun. ˈfish plural fish or fishes.
Is it correct to say fishes?
The plural of fish is usually fish. When referring to more than one species of fish, especially in a scientific context, you can use fishes as the plural. The zodiac sign Pisces is also often referred to as fishes.
Why fish has no plural?
For some nouns, like fish, there is no difference between the singular form and the plural form. Sometimes, however, people do use regular plural endings for irregular nouns, so in casual conversation you may hear fishes or elks. Some English words come from Latin, and take a Latinate plural ending.
What is salmon plural?
noun. salm·on | ˈsa-mən plural salmon also salmons.
What is the plural of shrimp?
noun. ˈshrimp , especially Southern ˈsrimp plural shrimp or shrimps.
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What is the plural of octopus?
By now, it’s widely known that the technical correct plural usage for the word octopus is octopuses. But if we’re being honest, we’ve all indulged in the random octopi usage before.
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noun, plural (especially collectively) cod, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) cods. any of several soft-rayed food fishes of the family Gadidae, especially Gadus morhua, of cool, North Atlantic waters.
What is the plural of elk?
noun, plural elks, (especially collectively) elk for 1, 2. Also called European elk. the moose, Alces alces. Also called American elk, wapiti.
Why plural of deer is deer?
Deer is the preferred plural form of deer, a hoofed mammal. … The word deer comes from the Old English word, deor, which means four-legged animal, beast. Also the Dutch word, dier and the German word, tier. Deer is one of a set of words with irregular plural forms, such as sheep and fish.
Why don’t we say deers?
You cannot use «deers» to mean «species of deer» because «deers» has never been a form in common use, whereas «fishes» has been and continues to be. For that reason «deers» grates on the ear of a native speaker in a way that «fishes» doesn’t.
Why is plural of sheep sheep?
The reason «sheep» doesn’t have a separate plural form is by chance. … In Middle English, the suffix -s was appended to nearly all nouns to form plurals. This phenomenon replaced the plural forms of Old English—e.g., Old English handa became hands in Middle English.
Is school of fish plural or singular?
«School of fish» is singular (a collective noun), so «swims» is appropriate. If the fish were the subject, both swim and swims would be correct depending on singular/plural fish.
What is plural child?
Children is the plural form of the word child and is used to refer to a group of or many youngsters who are below the age of puberty.
Is peoples a real word?
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What is the plural of turtle?
noun (1), often attributive. tur·tle | ˈtər-tᵊl plural turtles also turtle.
What is the plural of deer?
noun, plural deer, (occasionally) deers. any of several ruminants of the family Cervidae, most of the males of which have solid, deciduous antlers. any of the smaller species of this family, as distinguished from the moose, elk, etc.
What is the plural of sheep?
1 `sheep‘ A sheep is a farm animal with a thick woolly coat. The plural of sheep is sheep. The farmer has six hundred sheep. A flock of sheep was grazing on the hill.
What is the plural of bacterium?
Bacteria is historically and normally the plural of bacterium. A single bacterium can divide and produce millions of bacteria. … Some people who say this pluralize it as bacterias.
What sardine means?
1 : any of several small or immature fishes of the herring family especially : the European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) especially when young and of a size suitable for preserving for food. 2 : any of various small fishes (such as an anchovy) resembling the true sardines or similarly preserved for food.
Why is the plural of moose not Meese?
Inevitably, people want to know why, then, the plural of «moose» is not «meese». … This is because, unlike «goose», the word «moose» did not exist in early Anglo-Saxon times, so it couldn’t undergo i-mutation. «Moose» was borrowed from Eastern Abenaki in the 1600s.
Why is the plural of cactus cacti?
The noun cactus has a Latin root, which is the derivation of the plural cacti. Through common usage, cactuses (which adheres to the standard rules for forming plurals) is also acceptable.
What is the plural for platypus?
However, given that “platypodes” has for some unfathomable reason never become popular, the dictionary goes on to say that the accepted plural is “platypuses” or (particularly in scientific and conservation contexts) “platypus”.
There are many creatures that live in the water. Some taste good, and some do not. Some have scales, and others have hard shells.
Fish are one group of these animals. Some English speakers aren’t sure how to refer to more than one fish. Should you use fish, or fishes? Read on to find out.
What is the Difference Between Fish and Fishes?
In this post, I will explore fish vs. fishes. I will use each word in a sentence to illustrate its proper use. Plus, I will show you a helpful trick to use when deciding which of these words to use in your own writing.
When to Use Fish
What does fish mean? Fish can be either a noun or a verb.
As a noun, it refers to a group of aquatic vertebrate animals that use gills to breathe. Fish can be found in most bodies of water. Some are eaten, and some are kept as pets.
Fish can function as both a singular and plural noun. A popular example would be the well-known children’s book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. It also refers to fish as a food item, without regard to the amount of fish being consumed.
See the sentences below for examples of fish used as a noun.
- Adelle saw a group of fish swimming in the pond.
- Robert has a pet fish named Claire.
- Let’s eat fish for dinner.
- Tens of thousands of dead fish have closed Montana’s Yellowstone River and stirred new worries Monday about lasting impacts to the region’s lucrative outdoors industry. –The Washington Post
As a plural noun, fish is actually the newer term, but, according to the OED, it has been in use since at least 1300, and is now the more common plural form.
As a verb, to fish is to capture aquatic animals through any of several methods. Fishing is a popular pastime, an important industry, and in some parts of the world, a way of life.
Here are some examples,
- Today, I will go to the river and fish for trout.
- Some say that rainy days are the best days to fish.
When to Use Fishes
Fishes can also be a noun or a verb.
As a noun, it is an alternative plural of fish. Although fishes is the older of the two plural forms, its use today is rare and idiomatic, as in the following phrases:
- Jesus fed the crowd with five loaves and two fishes.
- “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes,” Sal said.
It is also sometimes used when referring to more than one species of fish.
For example,
- Perch and bass are two fishes hunted for sport in the American Midwest.
- Fortunately, perceptions of these ancient fishes are slowly changing, as new research and renewed interest from anglers are garnering a more positive image of these misunderstood fishes. –National Geographic
As a verb, it is the third-person present tense of to fish, as in the following sentence:
- Jermaine fishes for salmon, and shares it with his family.
Trick to Remember the Difference
Here is a helpful trick to remember fishes vs. fish.
Using fish as a verb is fairly straightforward, but the same cannot be said of its use as a plural noun.
Unless you are using a specific idiom like those mentioned above, choose fish for most contexts, singular or plural. Fish is the most widely used plural form of the word in English today.
You can remember which word to use by reminding yourself that “fish is salty.” You would not use the phrase “fishes is salty,” so you should not choose fishes for general use.
Summary
Is it fish or fishes? Fish and fishes can both be used as either a verb or a plural noun. To fish is to capture aquatic animals, and as plural nouns, fish and fishes refer to more than one such animal.
You can use the phrase “fish is good” to remind yourself that fish should be used in most situations. If you still have trouble remembering when to use fishes or fish, you can check this article for extra help.
Contents
- 1 What is the Difference Between Fish and Fishes?
- 2 When to Use Fish
- 3 When to Use Fishes
- 4 Trick to Remember the Difference
- 5 Summary