fishing rod

American  

noun

• fishing rods
  plural

1. a long, slender, cylindrical, flexible rod usually made of bamboo, steel, or fiberglass, for use with a reel and line in catching fish.

---

fishing rod British  

noun

1. a long tapered flexible pole, often in jointed sections, for use with a fishing line and, usually, a reel

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fishing rods
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fishing rod

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fishing rod

Melonie Walcott, an HIV researcher, held an imaginary fishing rod and motioned reeling in a catch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Estimated to fetch up to $500,000, it is being offered alongside Quint's Fenwick fishing rod and reel, which featured during the film's early shark encounter scenes.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

She’s focused on the Mediterranean, fishing rod in hand.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2024

Officials have struggled to get the robot past the wreckage, and hope that by October they can use a simpler device that looks like a fishing rod to get a primary sample.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 11, 2024

Is a fishing rod evil because it catches someone’s dinner?

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden