catfish
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a freshwater fish that has long, whisker-like hairs around its mouth and no scales.
n.any fish of the order Siluriformes, typically characterized by prominent barbels and a lack of scales.
Simple“We saw a large catfish swimming near the bottom of the muddy river.”
In context“The angler specialized in catching trophy-sized catfish, often spending entire nights on the riverbank waiting for a strike.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the meat of the catfish, often fried and eaten as a meal.
n.the flesh of the catfish used as food, particularly prominent in Southern American and Central European cuisines.
Simple“Fried catfish with a side of coleslaw is a classic dish in the South.”
In context“The restaurant is famous for its cornmeal-crusted catfish, which is sourced daily from local sustainable farms.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.someone who creates a fake social media profile to trick people, often for romance.
n.a person who creates a deceptive social media identity, typically to pursue a fraudulent online relationship.
Simple“He realized his online girlfriend was a catfish when she refused to video call.”
In context“The documentary explores the psychological motivations of a serial catfish who maintained dozens of fictional identities simultaneously.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to trick someone by using a fake profile on the internet.
v.to deceive a person by adopting a false identity on social media or dating platforms.
Simple“She was shocked to find out that a stranger had been catfishing her for months.”
In context“The victim reported the incident to the authorities after discovering that the person catfishing him had also attempted to solicit money.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
From cat + fish. Likely so named for its prominent barbels like a cat's whiskers. Compare West Frisian katfisk (“catfish”), Dutch katvis (“catfish”). Compare also German Seekatze (“catfish”, literally “sea-cat”).
From the 2010 documentary Catfish, supposedly inspired by the practice of fishermen keeping cod active by storing them with catfish (see sense 1) which nip at their tails.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.