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Definition of fish stick
fish stick
Plural:fish sticks
fish stick Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
2
Tier
1
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
North American A small, elongated piece of white fish that is coated in batter or breadcrumbs and typically baked or fried, commonly sold as a frozen convenience food.
Example
"The children were thrilled when their mother served them crispy fish sticks and french fries for dinner."
Word Nuance & Usage
This is primarily a North American term; in British, Australian, and New Zealand English, the exact same food item is known as a 'fish finger'.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The term emerged in the United States in the early 1950s when commercial frozen food companies like Birds Eye and Gorton's introduced mass-produced, breaded fish segments for easy home cooking.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fish stick. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fish stick