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fisher

Etymology and origin of the English word fisher

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 893
From
Old English fiscere via Middle English
Ultimate origin
Old English (fiscere)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈfɪʃə/ (UK); /ˈfɪʃɚ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English fissher, inherited from Old English fiscere (“fisherman; kingfisher”),[2][3][4] an agent noun from the verb fish,[2][3] with similar formations in Old Norse fiskari, Dutch visser and German Fischer.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

One whose work is catching fish: about 893.[5]

Semantic evolution

Figurative use, after fishers of men in Matthew iv. 19, is from about 1000.[5] An animal that catches fish is from 1562,[5] and since the word began to be used of animals, fisherman (1520s) arose.[2] A fishmonger (before 1400) is obsolete.[5] The North American marten, the pekan, is from 1796,[5] and a fishing boat from 1864.[5] Fisher is now archaic for a person, replaced by fisherman.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 893 – a fisherman.[5]
  • c. 1000 – a fisher of men.[5]
  • 1520s – fisherman.[2]
  • 1562 – a fishing animal.[5]
  • 1796 – the pekan.[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. (archaic) A person who fishes; a fisherman.
  2. An animal that catches fish.
  3. A dark-brown marten of northern North America, or its fur; the pekan.

Word family

  • fisherfolk
  • fisherman
  • fisherwoman
  • fishery
  • kingfisher
  • Fisher King
  • piscatory
  • piscatorial
  • fish

Usage notes

In Devon, a fisher was a sweet of apples baked in batter, named after a Bishop of Exeter, and in Somerset the heron.[6]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)

Related etymologies

  • forgive · also from Old English
  • clip · also from Old English
  • bold · also from Old English
  • forty · also from Old English
  • flesh · also from Old English
  • overcome · also from Old English
  • weed · also from Old English
  • stroke · also from Old English
Cite this entry

“Fisher.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/fisher. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·