What really is a fluid?

There is no standard definition of the word fluid. It is a somewhat imprecise term used in various ways by different people.

Indeed, in real life there is no simple example of a fluid. There is a spectrum from superfluids at one end, through non-Newtonian fluids all the way to crystalline solids. I speak as an (ex) industrial colloid scientist who has spent many happy hours studying the flow properties of many vaguely fluid systems.

The practical definition widely used by colloid scientists is that a fluid is something that has a measurable viscosity. That is, if subject to a constant shear stress (typically in a rheometer) it has a constant strain rate (note that non-Newtonian fluids may take a long time to equilibrate to a constant strain rate).

The problem with this is that if you carry out your measurement for long enough even apparently solid materials like pitch will flow. I have heard rheologists claim that on a long enough timescale everything is fluid, though these claims tend to be reserved for the bar rather than in refereed publications. Where you draw the line between a fluid and a solid depends on the application and to an extent personal preference.