neither fish nor fowl

== English == === Etymology === Possibly a variant of neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, itself a variant of neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring which is attested from the 16th century. According to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1895), the latter term referred to three types of food generally consumed by the different classes in society: fish by the clergy, flesh by the common people, and red herring by the poor. Thus if something was neither fish, flesh, nor red herring, it was good for no one. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌnaɪðə ˈfɪʃ nɔː ˈfaʊl/, /ˌniː-/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌnaɪðɚ ˈfɪʃ nɔɹ ˈfaʊl/, /ˌni-/ Rhymes: -aʊl Hyphenation: neith‧er fish nor fowl === Adjective === neither fish nor fowl (not comparable) (idiomatic) Not easily categorized; not rightly belonging or fitting well in a given group or situation; also, not having the advantages of the various options. Synonyms: neither fish, flesh, nor fowl; neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring; neither fish nor flesh; neither fish nor flesh, nor good red herring ==== Usage notes ==== In the 17th and 18th centuries, the term was primarily used literally. ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== neither here nor there === References === === Further reading === “neither fish nor fowl, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. “neither fish nor fowl”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.