hatfish meaning (colloquial): definition

hatfish

noun

Etymology From hat + fish.

Colloquial Synonym of halibut.

hanawasutt: hatfish or halibut1885, PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY:
Noah didn't realize when he stayed on the job-he was then about 600 years old and built the ark and drove the animals in two by two, the hatfish and the kangaroo ——he didn't realize he was laying the foundation for an occupation for old men in New York, several years later.1917, Railroad Men - Volume 31, page 137:

1 more example

My Side of the River is a meditation on a sport and a region, a song of praise to the natural wonders of the Catskills — an angling Mecca where brook trout hide in "medicine places," and where "hatfish" and "blueberry trout" can reward the patient fisher.2002, Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, page 11:

verb

Etymology Blend of hat + catfish, equivalent to hat + -fish.

To hide one's bald spot or bad hair under a hat in a profile picture for online dating.

If you've never seen the top of your Tinder date's head, he may be hatfishing you.2017 August 23, Ben Yakas, “Extra, Extra: Liam Gallagher Ranks His Own Haircuts”, in Gothamist:
So basically, if you've got a great job, then fucking hatfish all you want - doesn't matter, Jean will be up for it!2017 October 24, Gary Ogden, “'Hatfishing' is yet another dating trend – are you guilty of it?”, in Shortlist:

3 more examples

Looks aren’t everything — until you get on this app, where looks just happen to be everything. Be yourself and be honest. Filters and angles can help you look your best, but catfishing and hatfishing are real things.2018 February 10, Lady Marmalade, “Things you probably shouldn't mention on your Tinder profile”, in Gauntlet, page 41, column 2:
If you’re single ― or have single friends ― you’ve no doubt heard stories like this: A less deceptive (and considerably less serious) subcategory of catfishing, so-called hatfishing occurs when someone wears a hat to conceal the fact that they’re more or less balding. […] The inclination to hatfish makes sense, given how sensitive men can be about their hair. […] George Halley, a 48-year-old from Colorado, has hatfished in the past and thinks the majority of men do it to avoid having people make snap judgments and quick swipes left based solely on their hairline.2018 April 3, Brittany Wong, “If You're On A Dating App, Chances Are You've Been Hatfished”, in Huffington Post, archived from the original on 09 Jan 2026:
You know he ain't hatfishing – there's a glorious grey mane under that woolen number.2018 December 5, “'Fuckboy' Daniel Day-Lewis is a late entry for best look of 2018”, in Dazed: