n. A pronged instrument for spearing fish. [Alteration (influenced by FISH) of obsolete fisgig, alteration (apparently influenced in form by English fizgig, fisgig, frivolous woman, whirligig : fizz, hissing sound + gig, frivolous person, whirligig) of Spanish fisga, fishgig, from fisgar, to fish with a harpoon or fishgig, probably from Vulgar Latin *fīxicāre : Latin fīxus, fixed, transfixed, pierced; see FIX + -icāre, suffix forming verbs.] |
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