# cod

/ˈkɑd/ (US) · /kˈɒd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cod
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. the fish

noun · CEFR B1

a large sea fish with white meat that is very common to eat.

For teachers: a large marine fish of the genus Gadus, highly valued as a food source.

- We had fresh cod and chips for dinner at the seaside.
- The collapse of the Atlantic cod stocks led to severe fishing restrictions across the region to allow the population to recover.

### 3. to joke or trick

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

to trick or tease someone in a playful way.

For teachers: to deceive, mock, or tease someone, often in a jocular or harmless manner.

- Don't get angry; I was only codding you about your new haircut.
- He spent the entire evening codding his younger brother into believing the old house was haunted by a Victorian ghost.

Usage: Often used in the progressive form 'codding'.

### 4. fake or parody

adjective · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal

not real; made to look like a joke or a parody.

For teachers: mock, fake, or parodic in nature; often used attributively to describe an imitation.

- The actor spoke in a cod Italian accent that made everyone laugh.
- The documentary was criticized for its cod philosophy, which many felt trivialized the serious subject matter it intended to explore.

## Examples

- I ordered fried cod and chips for lunch.
- The local economy relies heavily on the export of fresh cod to international markets.
- Historically, the abundance of cod in the North Atlantic fueled the growth of coastal communities and even sparked international disputes over fishing rights.

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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.