# perch

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɜːtʃ/ · frequency rank #19,934

## Definitions
1. Any of the three species of spiny-finned freshwater fish in the genus Perca.
2. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially:
3. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially:
4. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially:
5. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially:
6. Any of the about 200 related species of fish in the taxonomic family Percidae, especially:
7. Several similar species in the order Perciformes, such as the grouper.

## Etymology
From Middle English perche, from Old French perche, from Latin perca, from Ancient Greek πέρκη (pérkē, “perch”), cognate with περκνός (perknós, “dark-spotted”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *perḱ-, whence also Old English forn (“trout”), German Forelle (“trout”).

## Easily confused with
- **PRC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-prc)
- **Peru** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-peru)
- **perk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perk)
- **perm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perm)
- **peri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-peri)
- **Perl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perl)
- **pers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-pers)
- **perv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perv)
- **perf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perf)
- **perp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perp)
- **pert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-pert)
- **pitch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-pitch)
- **punch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-punch)
- **perry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perry)
- **Perth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perth)
- **porch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-porch)
- **pinch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-pinch)
- **Percy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-percy)
- **Perez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-perez)
- **psych** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perch-vs-psych)

## Common misspellings (8)
`eprch`, `pecrh`, `percch`, `perchh`, `perhc`, `perrch`, `pperch`, `prech`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/perch