fish and chips

American

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

fried fish fillets and French fries.

fish and chips British

noun

fish fillets coated with batter and deep-fried, eaten with potato chips

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fish and chips

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Fish and chips is renowned as one of the nation's favourite dishes but in recent years spiralling costs have pushed up the price of the traditional fare.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2025

Fish and chips in hand, Prime Minister Boris Johnson once promised to "build back batter" from the pandemic.

From Reuters • May 26, 2022

Fish and chips is ingrained in the nation’s identity, said Crook.

From The Guardian • Aug. 18, 2019

Fish and chips, another pub classic, were better than average.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 12, 2018

"Let's go celebrate! We'll splurge at a restaurant! Fish and chips, my family?"

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023