# neither fish nor fowl

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/neither-fish-nor-fowl
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Not easily categorized; not rightly belonging or fitting well in a given group or situation; also, not having the advantages of the various options.

## Examples

- 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.

## 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. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.