fry

Fry is a term with multiple meanings across biology, cooking, and culture. It can refer to the early life stage of many fish after hatching, typically free-swimming and not yet fully juvenile. The word is used for both a single individual and for the collective group of developing fish. In aquaculture, fry require specialized care and feeding as they grow toward the juvenile stage.

In cooking, fry is a verb meaning to cook food in hot oil or fat, usually at high temperature. Common methods include frying, pan-frying, shallow-frying, and deep-frying. The term also appears in phrases related to preparation and equipment, such as fry pans or fry-ups, though it is less commonly used to name the food itself.

As a surname, Fry is of English origin and appears in various cultures. It is also used as a given name or nickname in fiction. Notable individuals with the surname include Stephen Fry, a British writer, actor, and comedian. In popular culture, Philip J. Fry, commonly known as Fry, is the protagonist of the animated television series Futurama, created by Matt Groening. The surname has several other bearers in fields such as science, politics, and the arts.