FISHY
What does "FISHY" mean?
Arousing suspicion; seeming dishonest or not quite right.
Meanings
- Causing doubt or suspicion; questionable. His excuse sounded fishy, so we double-checked the receipts. informal
- Resembling fish, especially in smell or taste. The kitchen had a faintly fishy odour after dinner.
Word origin
From 'fish' (Old English 'fisc') plus the adjective suffix '-y'; the 'suspicious' sense arose in the 19th century, likely from the idea of a stale, off-smelling catch.
Remember it
If a story smells FISHY, it stinks like a FISH left out one day too long.
A little poem
The tale swam smooth until the smell came through-
a story, like a market fish, goes off by noon or two.
couplet
Wordplay
- The detective didn't trust the aquarium owner - everything about him seemed a little fishy.
What it teaches
Trust the part of you that smells wrong before you can name it; instinct catches what logic is still sniffing for.
Quick facts
What does FISHY mean?
Arousing suspicion; seeming dishonest or not quite right.
Is FISHY a valid word?
Yes — FISHY is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is FISHY?
FISHY has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does FISHY come from?
From 'fish' (Old English 'fisc') plus the adjective suffix '-y'; the 'suspicious' sense arose in the 19th century, likely from the idea of a stale, off-smelling catch.
What can FISHY teach us?
Trust the part of you that smells wrong before you can name it; instinct catches what logic is still sniffing for.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.