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Definition of hardhead catfish
hardhead catfish
Plural:hardhead catfish
hardhead catfish Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A species of sea catfish (Ariopsis felis) native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, characterized by a hard, bony skull and sharp, mildly venomous dorsal and pectoral spines.
Example
"While fishing off the pier in Florida, she accidentally hooked a hardhead catfish and had to carefully avoid its sharp spines while removing the hook."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named for its distinctly hard, bony skull plate ('hardhead') and the whisker-like barbels on its face characteristic of all catfish.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hardhead catfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hardhead catfish