Jump To:

• Fishes
  Fishes

  noun

  the constellation Pisces, the twelfth sign of the zodiac
• fishes
  fishes

  Traditionally, a class of vertebrates that breathe with gills rather than lungs, live in water, and generally lay eggs, although some bear their young alive. Some biologists consider the fishes a “superclass,” and divide them into three classes: bony fishes, such as sunfish and cod; fishes with a skeleton formed of cartilage rather than bone, such as sharks; and fishes that lack jaws, such as lampreys.

Fishes

British  

/ ˈfɪʃɪz /

noun

1. the constellation Pisces, the twelfth sign of the zodiac

---

fishes Cultural  

1. Traditionally, a class of vertebrates that breathe with gills rather than lungs, live in water, and generally lay eggs, although some bear their young alive. Some biologists consider the fishes a “superclass,” and divide them into three classes: bony fishes, such as sunfish and cod; fishes with a skeleton formed of cartilage rather than bone, such as sharks; and fishes that lack jaws, such as lampreys.

---

Discover More

Fishes are cold-blooded animals.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Fishes fishes

Using advanced neutron imaging technology, scientists examined the skull and braincase of Koharalepis jarviki, a large predatory fish that lived during the Devonian Period, often called the "Age of Fishes."

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

Most of my family came to the U.S. from Italy in the mid-20th Century, and as far as I know, they’ve been celebrating the Fishes together every year since.

From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2025

The Loaves and Fishes drop-in centre in Salford has seen soaring demand for its meals, showers and laundry facilities in recent months.

From BBC ● Feb. 29, 2024

That white shedding, the researchers wrote, was likely “intrauterine substances still adhered to its body,” according to the paper published in Environmental Biology of Fishes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2024

The goldfish nibble at it, and Barbie, Queen of the Fishes, waves cheerfully.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

"We lost 85% of the marine prairies, and we saw the fishes on the shore looking for oxygen, and these images were horrible," he said.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

Watson, who fishes on the Dylharis, said the industry took its responsibilities seriously.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

Celtic art occupies a fluid, timeless plane where birds, fishes, dragons, gods, humans and pure motion continually morph and merge.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

"Many mesothermic fishes are already heavily impacted by overfishing of themselves and also their prey species, so their elevated energy needs make them especially vulnerable when their food becomes scarce."

From Science Daily ● Apr. 18, 2026

From the air sharks could be seen moving in, attracted by the helpless and dying fishes in the water.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson