neither fish nor fowl
Not easily categorized; not rightly belonging or fitting well in a given group or situation; also, not having the advantages of the various options.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“This hybrid car is neither fish nor fowl.”
“The new software is neither fish nor fowl, as it lacks the features of a professional tool but is too complex for casual users.”
“The candidate’s political platform was neither fish nor fowl, failing to satisfy the traditionalists while simultaneously alienating the progressive wing of the party.”
first recorded 19th c. disputed origin
The phrase is a probable variant of the 16th-century expression neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring. According to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, published in 1895, the original expanded form referred to the diet of three distinct social classes: fish for the clergy, flesh for the common people, and red herring for the poor.
If a thing was neither fish, flesh, nor red herring, it was said to be fit for no one. The modern truncation arrived later, leaving the specific dietary requirements of the clergy and the poor behind in favour of a more concise ambiguity.
- 01
big fish
An important person.
- 02
big fish in a small pond
One who has achieved a high rank or is highly esteemed, but only in a small, relatively unimportant, or little known location or organization.
- 03
bigger fish to fry
A much more pressing issue to attend to.
- 04
cold fish
A heartless individual; a person lacking empathy and emotion.
- 05
fish in troubled waters
To try to take advantage of a confused or troubled situation.
- 06
fish or cut bait
To make a decision, especially after a period of delay; to either take action now or forgo the opportunity.
- 07
fish out
To search for by rummaging, and then extract (an item from e.g. a container); to obtain.
- 08
fish out of water
A person in unfamiliar and often uncomfortable surroundings.
Last updated August 10, 2026