Word Study
catfish
CIDE DICTIONARY
catfish, n.
A name given in the United States to various species of siluroid fishes; as, the yellow cat (Amiurus natalis); the bind cat (Gronias nigrilabrus ); the mud cat (Pilodictic oilwaris ), the stone cat (Noturus flavus ); the sea cat (Arius felis ), etc. This name is also sometimes applied to the wolf fish . See Bullhrad. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
catfish, n. any of various esp. freshwater fish, usu. having whisker-like barbels round the mouth.
For further exploring for "catfish" in Webster Dictionary Online
