fish and chips

American  

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. fried fish fillets and French fries.

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fish and chips British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of fish and chips

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Rogue chip shops have been passing off catfish as "traditional fish and chips" to cut down on costs, the BBC has learned.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

I ate fish and chips every week for a year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

He fears that customers "will stop buying so much fish and chips and they'll stop going out for meals so much".

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

Elsewhere in the town, fish and chips and books are sold only for cash, while cakes and ice creams require a card payment.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Minutes later he was out through the door, on his way to work, but not before I had said to him: “Don’t forget our fish and chips, Papa.”

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane