bullhead

/ˈbʌlˌhɛd/

//ˈbʌlˌhɛd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"bullhead" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bullhead” is uncommon English (frequency #79,345 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#79,345
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - any of a variety of related species of generally dark-colored catfish in the family Ictaluridae.

Key facts for bullhead
PropertyValue
Headwordbullhead
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbʌlˌhɛd/
Letters8
Frequency rank#79,345
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bullhead” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). bullhead lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

bullhead is uncommon English at frequency #79,345 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbʌlˌhɛd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 10 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for bullhead in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From bull + head. The correct English form is bullhead, spelled B-U-L-L-H-E-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    any of a variety of related species of generally dark-colored catfish in the family Ictaluridae.
  2. 2
    any of a variety of related species of generally dark-colored catfish in the family Ictaluridae.
  3. 3
    any of a variety of related species of generally dark-colored catfish in the family Ictaluridae.
  4. 4
    Any of various sculpins of the suborder Scorpaenoidei
  5. 5
    The European bullhead, Cottus gobio.
  6. 6
    A fish of species Gobiomorphus gobioides.
  7. 7
    A bullhead shark (Heterodontus spp.).
  8. 8
    An obstinate person.
  9. 9
    A bullhead rail.
  10. 10
    A chronograph (watch or stopwatch) with two push buttons arranged like the horns of a bull on the top end of the case, typically with the crown between them.

Etymology

From bull + head.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bullhead"?
"bullhead" is spelled B-U-L-L-H-E-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʌlˌhɛd/.
What does "bullhead" mean?
As a noun, "bullhead" means: any of a variety of related species of generally dark-colored catfish in the family Ictaluridae.
How do you pronounce "bullhead"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bullhead" is /ˈbʌlˌhɛd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "bullhead"?
From bull + head. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “bullhead”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-U-L-L-H-E-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbʌlˌhɛd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list