Search Dictionary
Definition of wels catfish
wels catfish
Plural:wels catfish
wels catfish Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A large, scaleless freshwater catfish native to wide areas of central, southern, and eastern Europe, characterized by its broad, flat head, wide mouth, and long barbels, and noted for its ability to grow to an enormous size.
Example
"The wels catfish is highly prized by European anglers for its massive size and impressive fighting strength."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for wels catfish• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The word 'wels' originates from the German 'Wels' (catfish), derived from Old High German 'wallari'. 'Catfish' refers to the prominent, whisker-like barbels that resemble a cat's whiskers.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wels catfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wels catfish