adjective, fish·i·er, fish·i·est.
- like a fish in shape, smell, taste, or the like.
- consisting of fish.
- abounding in fish.
- Informal. improbable, as a story; unlikely.
- Informal. of questionable character; suspicious: The sudden knockout was fishy.
- dull and expressionless: fishy eyes.
adjective fishier or fishiest
- of, involving, or suggestive of fish
- abounding in fish
- informal suspicious, doubtful, or questionabletheir leaving at the same time looked fishy
- dull and lifelessa fishy look
late 15c., from fish (n.) + -y (2). Sense of “shady, questionable” is first recorded 1840, perhaps from the notion of “slipperiness,” or of giving off a bad odor.