bullhead

[ bool-hed ]

noun

1. any of several North American, freshwater catfishes of the genus Ictalurus, having a rounded or truncate caudal fin.
2. any of several other fishes, as the freshwater sculpins of the genus Cottus, especially those species having a hornlike spine on each side of the head. heads.
3. an obstinate or stupid person.

bullhead

/ ˈbʊlˌhɛd /

noun

1. any of various small northern mainly marine scorpaenoid fishes of the family Cottidae that have a large head covered with bony plates and spines
2. any freshwater North American catfish of the genus Ameiurus (or Ictalurus ), having a large head bearing several long barbels
3. a scorpion fish, Scorpaena guttata , of North American Pacific coastal waters
4. informal.
   a stupidly stubborn or unintelligent person

Word History and Origins

Origin of bullhead¹

An Americanism dating back to 1665–75; bull ¹ + head

Example Sentences

But the police held the old chief captive, and two of them shot him—Bullhead and Red Tomahawk.

From Project Gutenberg

“My country calls and I must go,” says the bullhead to himself, and he opens his mouth and the liver disappears.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no fish that does more thinking or has a better head for grasping great questions, or chunks of liver than the bullhead.

From Project Gutenberg

A pin hook, a piece of liver, and a cistern pole, is all the capital required to catch a bullhead.

From Project Gutenberg

The boy gets down on his knees to dissect the bullhead, and get his hook, and it may be that the boy swears.

From Project Gutenberg