flathead
noun
any of several scorpaenoid fishes of the family Platycephalidae, chiefly inhabiting waters of the Indo-Pacific region and used for food.
flathead
1 American
[flat-hed]
/ ˈflætˌhɛd /
noun
-
flathead,
plural
-
flatheads
plural
Flathead
2
American
[flat-hed]
/ ˈflætˌhɛd /
noun
-
Also called Bitterroot Salish. a member of an Indigenous people of northwest Montana.
-
a member of a confederated nation of Salish and Kootenay peoples, established in 1855 and located in northwest Montana.
-
a member of the Chinook people.
adjective
Flathead
3
American
[flat-hed]
/ ˈflætˌhɛd /
noun
flathead
British
/ ˈflætˌhɛd /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of flathead1
First recorded in 1825–35; flat 1 + head
Origin of Flathead2
First recorded in 1530–40; so called from their supposed practice of binding infants' heads to create a longer, flatter skull shape; the peoples currently known as Flatheads did not engage in this custom
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Also known as grabblers or hand-fishermen, noodlers use their own bare limbs as bait to catch enormous flathead catfish lurking in Southern and Midwestern rivers, creeks, and lakes.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Fish species affected included largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and stocked species such as brown trout and rainbow trout.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026
“I’ve seen gar, but I ain’t never seen a gar with a head shaped like this,” Smith said in an interview, explaining that he first thought his catch may have been a flathead catfish.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 14, 2021
Two weeks later, Tyler Barnes reeled in a massive flathead catfish from the Neuse River on July 20.
From Fox News ● Jul. 28, 2020
He ran his beam along the galley floor, then knelt with a flathead screwdriver in his hand and pried ajar the battery well cover.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
But growth is also transforming the more remote northwest corner: Flathead County, known for Glacier National Park and one of America’s largest and cleanest natural freshwater lakes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Yes, the event is meant to feature Flathead Valley in the greater Montana and celebrate all the great things that are going on there, which are all 100% unique.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2024
An indictment publicly released on Wednesday alleges that they killed birds on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana and elsewhere.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2023
The 67-year-old lawmaker smiled and laughed his way through the crowd at a Veterans Day event in Bigfork, a small town on Flathead Lake where the population has surged in recent years.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2023
And I just kept imagining there was some Flathead Indian grandma in the kitchen, just making fry bread for all the room-service people.
From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie
Channel catfish is good on stinkbait, cut bait, and live bait for flatheads.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 2, 2019
Fisheries officials say the rule changes are needed because there’s been a noticeable uptick in the demand for big flatheads and blues, which have been fetching $2 or more a pound at pay lakes.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 22, 2014
He upgraded his boat and tackle specifically for a better shot of catching monster blues and flatheads on rod and reel on the big water.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 22, 2014
His bait of choice is live bluegill for the more predatory flatheads.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 22, 2014
Well," says I, "I think they are a pack of flatheads for not keeping the palace themselves 'stead of fooling them away like that.
From The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Tom Sawyer's Comrade by Mark Twain
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