fisher

noun

fish·​er ˈfi-shər How to pronounce fisher (audio)
plural fishers
1
: someone or something that fishes
Whether buying at a restaurant, grocery store or directly from the fisher, asking for wild Alaska salmon means supporting the men and women who pulled a wild fish from the sea …Berett Wilber
All around us, fishers galumphed past in everything from chest-high rubber waders to blue jeans and baseball caps.Stephen C. Sautner
Commercial fishers rarely catch the type of fish they seek without catching other, non-targeted fish.Greenpeace
Great blue herons are waders. … Their patience and ability to stand absolutely still for long periods of time make them excellent fishers.Brian C. Salt
2
a
or less commonly fisher cat plural fisher cats : a dark brown North American carnivorous mammal (Pekania pennanti synonym Martes pennanti) of the weasel family that has a pointy snout, small rounded ears, and a bushy tail
A carnivorous and curious fellow, the fisher was once a thriving dweller in old-growth West Coast forests …Maria Beloborodova
He said the nocturnal fisher, often called the fisher cat because of its tom cat snarl that can raise the hackles on the back of your neck, was in his yard during the day.Frank Sousa
b
: the fur or pelt of this animal
A full-length fisher coat can retail for $7,000.Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Massachusetts)

Examples of fisher in a Sentence

few fishers of lake trout are more ardent or adept than my father
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With over 100 local farmers and fishers contributing to the menu, nearly 65% of ingredients come directly from the Hawaiian Islands. Laura Parker, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 Across three episodes, Song will free dive with the haenyeo underwater sea fishers, whose tradition has been passed down from generation to generation over 400 years. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024 Given the shark’s frequent presence in Belizean waters, it’s also commonly called the shovelnose shark, a name given to it by local fishers. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 Roofers, fishers, and truck drivers all had annual death rates at least twice as high as the risk of death from kidney donation. Dylan Matthews, Vox, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fisher 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fischer, fischare, going back to Old English fiscere, from fisc fish entry 1 + -ere -er entry 2; (sense 2) perhaps by folk etymology from fitchew

Note: The derivative was perhaps already formed in West Germanic—compare Old Frisian fisker, fiskere, Old Saxon & Old High German fiskari, Middle Dutch visscher.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fisher was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near fisher

Cite this Entry

“Fisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fisher. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

fisher

noun
fish·​er ˈfish-ər How to pronounce fisher (audio)
1
: one that fishes
2
: a dark brown North American flesh-eating mammal related to the weasels
also : its valuable fur or pelt

Biographical Definition

Fisher 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

Fish·​er ˈfi-shər How to pronounce Fisher (audio)
Dorothy 1879–1958 Dorothea Frances née Canfield ˈkan-ˌfēld How to pronounce Fisher (audio) American novelist

Fisher

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Irving 1867–1947 American economist

Fisher

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

John Arbuthnot 1841–1920 1st Baron Fisher of Kilverstone ˈkil-vər-stən How to pronounce Fisher (audio) British admiral

Fisher

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Mary Frances Kennedy 1908–1992 American writer

More from Merriam-Webster on fisher

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