cod
cod Lexical Profile
cod Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large, bottom-dwelling marine fish of the family Gadidae (especially the Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, and Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus), inhabiting cold northern seas and characterized by three rounded dorsal fins, two anal fins, and a prominent chin barbel.
"Commercial overfishing in the late twentieth century severely depleted the Atlantic cod populations off the coast of Newfoundland."
The mild, flaky white flesh of the cod fish eaten as food, whether served fresh, battered and fried, or preserved by salting and drying.
"For dinner, the coastal bistro served pan-seared cod over a bed of roasted seasonal vegetables."
Irish A joke, hoax, playful trick, or foolish nonsense.
"He soon realized that the outrageous rumor was just a cod started by his coworkers."
• adjective
British Fake, mock, or executed as a light-hearted parody or imitation.
"The comedian delivered the entire monologue in a cod Shakespearean accent."
• verb
British To play a practical joke on, tease, or deceive someone in a good-natured way (also common in Irish English).
"You cannot be serious about winning the lottery; I know you are only codding me."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the fish, the plural is usually unchanged as 'cod', though 'cods' is occasionally used to denote multiple distinct species of cod.
• Rhymes for cod
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The fish sense stems from Middle English 'codde', of uncertain origin, possibly related to Old English 'codd' meaning 'bag, pouch, or husk' in reference to the fish's rounded, tapered body shape.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.