How Do You Spell FISHES?

Pronunciation: [fˈɪʃɪz] (IPA)

The word "fishes" is one of those curious words whose spelling seems to defy what we've learned about the English language. According to IPA phonetic transcription, the spelling of "fishes" is /ˈfɪʃɪz/. This indicates that the final "-es" is actually pronounced as a "z" sound, rather than the "s" sound we typically associate with pluralizing nouns. This is due to the word's Old English origins, where the plural form of "fish" was "fiscas". Despite its quirky spelling, "fishes" is still widely used in modern English.

FISHES Meaning and Definition

  1. Fishes is a plural noun that refers to multiple individuals or species of aquatic vertebrates, found in various bodies of water such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds. It is the plural form of the word "fish".

    Fish, in general, are cold-blooded animals that possess gills, fins, and a streamlined body, enabling them to move efficiently through the water. They typically breathe through their gills, extracting oxygen from the water surrounding them. Most fishes use fins for propulsion and stabilization in the water, with their tail fins providing the main source of locomotion.

    There are over 30,000 known species of fishes, which can range greatly in size, shape, color, and behavior. Some of the most common types of fishes include trout, bass, salmon, cod, tuna, catfish, and goldfish. Fishes can be herbivorous, carnivorous, or omnivorous, feeding on a variety of plants, smaller fishes, insects, and other marine life.

    Fishes play a significant role in ecosystems as they act as both predator and prey, contributing to the balance of marine ecosystems. They also serve as a crucial food source for humans and provide livelihoods for many through fishing and aquaculture industries. In addition to their ecological importance, fishes are popular pets, displayed in public aquariums, and studied by marine biologists and scientists to gain insights into various aspects of marine life and evolution.

Top Common Misspellings for FISHES *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for FISHES

Etymology of FISHES

The word "fishes" has its etymology from the Old English word "fiscas". It is believed to have derived from the Proto-Germanic word "fiskaz". This word can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root word *peisk, which means "fish". Over time, linguistic changes and evolution led to the development of the modern English word "fishes" to refer to multiple fish.

Idioms with the word FISHES

  • be sleeping with the fishes The idiom "be sleeping with the fishes" is often used to refer to someone who has been killed or to indicate that someone is in grave danger of being killed.
  • be swimming with the fishes The idiom "be swimming with the fishes" is a slang phrase used to describe someone who has been killed or disposed of, typically by being thrown into a body of water, typically in a criminal or illegal manner.
  • feed the fishes The idiom "feed the fishes" means to be killed or to meet one's demise, especially by drowning.
  • loaves and fishes The idiom "loaves and fishes" refers to a situation in which a small amount of resources or provisions miraculously multiply or are efficiently utilized to meet the needs of a larger group of people or accomplish more than anticipated. It often symbolizes abundance, generosity, and the unexpected or miraculous potential of scarce resources. This phrase originates from the biblical story of Jesus miraculously multiplying five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed a crowd of thousands of people.
  • sleep with the fishes The idiom "sleep with the fishes" is derived from mafia culture and refers to someone being killed and their body disposed of in a body of water, typically the ocean. It is a euphemism for murder and suggests that the person is permanently eliminated or will never be found.
  • the Fishes "The Fishes" is an English idiomatic expression that refers to the zodiac sign Pisces. It is often used to describe individuals born between February 19 and March 20. The symbol of Pisces is two fish swimming in opposite directions, representing the dual nature of those born under this sign.

Similar spelling words for FISHES

Conjugate verb Fishes

CONDITIONAL

I would fish
we would fish
you would fish
he/she/it would fish
they would fish

FUTURE

I will fish
we will fish
you will fish
he/she/it will fish
they will fish

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have fished
we will have fished
you will have fished
he/she/it will have fished
they will have fished

PAST

I fished
we fished
you fished
he/she/it fished
they fished

PAST PERFECT

I had fished
we had fished
you had fished
he/she/it had fished
they had fished

PRESENT

I fish
we fish
you fish
he/she/it fishes
they fish

PRESENT PERFECT

I have fished
we have fished
you have fished
he/she/it has fished
they have fished
I am fishing
we are fishing
you are fishing
he/she/it is fishing
they are fishing
I was fishing
we were fishing
you were fishing
he/she/it was fishing
they were fishing
I will be fishing
we will be fishing
you will be fishing
he/she/it will be fishing
they will be fishing
I have been fishing
we have been fishing
you have been fishing
he/she/it has been fishing
they have been fishing
I had been fishing
we had been fishing
you had been fishing
he/she/it had been fishing
they had been fishing
I will have been fishing
we will have been fishing
you will have been fishing
he/she/it will have been fishing
they will have been fishing
I would have fished
we would have fished
you would have fished
he/she/it would have fished
they would have fished
I would be fishing
we would be fishing
you would be fishing
he/she/it would be fishing
they would be fishing
I would have been fishing
we would have been fishing
you would have been fishing
he/she/it would have been fishing
they would have been fishing

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