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fisherman

American  
[fish-er-muhn] / ˈfɪʃ ər mən /

noun

plural

fishermen

  1. a person who fishes, whether for profit or pleasure.

  2. a ship used in fishing.

adjective

  1. Knitting. Also fisherman's of, relating to, or designating a knitting pattern consisting primarily of cable-stitches executed in a characteristically thick, traditionally off-white yarn, or a garment made in this pattern and yarn.

    a fisherman sweater.
fisherman British  
/ ˈfɪʃəmən /

noun

  1. a person who fishes as a profession or for sport

  2. a vessel used for fishing

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of fisherman

1400–50; late Middle English fissherman; see fisher, -man

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.

Brendan Winters, a fisherman from Sion Mills and a member of the Foyle Association of Salmon and Trout Anglers, is helping to survey the river for dead fish.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Among them is his Oscar-shortlisted “The Deep,” the tale of an Icelandic fisherman who survived a 1984 shipwreck for six hours in 41-degrees-Fahrenheit ocean water, swam to shore and then walked barefoot over lava fields.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

A fisherman packed up his rods next to a family picnicking on the waterfront.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

My wife was a registered nurse, and I, as a commercial fisherman, worked for years while we lived and saved on only slightly more than what crew-share employees earned.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

“It’s a shame we haven’t seen her in so long. She was a right good fisherman, and a good girl, too.”

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.