Fishwife

A fishwife or fishlass is a woman who sells fish. In this context, the word wife means woman rather than married woman. This usage stems from Old English wif (woman) and is similar to the German weib, also meaning "woman". This sense of the word is still used in Modern English in constructions such as midwife and old wives' tale. "Lass" means girl or young woman, particularly one who is unmarried.

Often the wives and daughters of fishermen, fish wives were notoriously loud and foul-mouthed, as noted in the expression, To swear like a fishwife. One reason for their outspokenness is that their wares were highly perishable and so lost value if not sold quickly.