Skip to main content
  • News
    • MTV News
    • Trending News
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Taylor Swift
    • Kim Kardashian
  • Music
    • Music Highlights
    • Music Videos
    • Charts
    • Playlists
    • EMAs
    • MTV PUSH
    • Artists
  • Shows
    • Latest Shows
    • The Charlotte Show
    • Geordie Shore
    • Ex on the Beach
    • Just Tattoo Of Us
    • Teen Mom UK
    • The Royal World
  • Movies
    • Movies Highlights
    • New Movies Coming Soon
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Trailers
    • Moana
  • Travel
    • Videos
  • Style
  • Life
    • Life
    • MTV Breaks
    • Sex
    • WTF
    • SRS
    • Travel
    • Fitness
    • Generation Change
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • MTV Play
  • TV Guide
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • MTV Play
  • TV Guide
Home
  • News
    • MTV News
    • Trending News
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Taylor Swift
    • Kim Kardashian
  • Music
    • Music Highlights
    • Music Videos
    • Charts
    • Playlists
    • EMAs
    • MTV PUSH
    • Artists
  • Shows
    • Latest Shows
    • The Charlotte Show
    • Geordie Shore
    • Ex on the Beach
    • Just Tattoo Of Us
    • Teen Mom UK
    • The Royal World
  • Movies
    • Movies Highlights
    • New Movies Coming Soon
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Trailers
    • Moana
  • Travel
    • Videos
  • Style
  • Life
    • Life
    • MTV Breaks
    • Sex
    • WTF
    • SRS
    • Travel
    • Fitness
    • Generation Change
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search

Catfish: The TV Show

  • Main
  • Videos
  • Pictures
  • News

'Catfish' Gets Added To The Oxford English Dictionary (You're Welcome, World)

ICYMI, 'Catfish' has been added to the dictionary, along with a bunch of other amazeballs words.

  • Share to Facebook
  • Tweet to Twitter
  • Share to Google plus
Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 11:47

The term 'catfish' has been doing the rounds for years - ever since Ariel Schulman and his brother Nev teamed up with Henry Joost to investigate Nev's long-distance Facebook crush. 

But while the resulting 2010 documentary was a smash hit, spawning an amazing TV show (even if we do say so ourselves), 'catfish' was never actually officially a real word. 

You'd be surprised how often that happens. 

Now, though, the ultimate authority on words, the Oxford English Dictionary, has legitimised the term. 

'Catfish' has been officially approved by the literary powers that be, and added to the tome - or, at least, the online version of it. 

Here's the definition:

CATFISH
VERB
US INFORMAL

Lure (someone) into a relationship by adopting a fictional online persona:
'he was being catfished by a cruel prankster'
'a victim of catfishing'

[originally with reference to the 2010 documentary film Catfish, which concerns such a relationship]

Amazeballs, huh?

Speaking of which, 'amazeballs' is another word on the OED's hallowed list of 2014 additions, along with other slang terms including 'adorbs', 'clickbait', 'cray', 'douchebaggery', 'fratty', 'humblebrag', 'side boob', 'YOLO' and the good old Geordie Shore favourite, 'hench'. 

Should such slang continue to be in popular use in years to come, it will eventually be added into the proper, printed version of the dictionary. Stranger things have certainly happened - after all, they added 'muggle' in 2003. 

Here's the full list of additions. WDYT?

Latest News

Bree Runway - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Bree Runway: 'Can You Imagine How Crazy I’m About To Go In 2021?'
Inhaler - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Inhaler: ‘We Were A Really Bad Heavy Metal Band For A While’
How To Look After Your Mental Health In 2021
Nathan Dawe - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Nathan Dawe Talks ‘Massive’ Collabs For 2021
Claudia Valentina - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Claudia Valentina: ‘My Dreams Have Never Been Small’
Arlo Parks - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Arlo Parks Has Her Sights On Acting & Directing
AWA - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
AWA Says Her Debut Album Is ‘Very Vulnerable and Open’
220 KID - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
220 KID Tells Us The Heroic Reason Behind His Name
Alfie Templeman - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Alfie Templeman Just Wants To Make You Smile
MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Voting For MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021 Is Open!
Get To Know - Iann Dior
Get To Know: iann dior
Get To Know - J.I the Prince of N.Y
Get To Know: J.I The Prince Of N.Y
Khloé Kardashian Reacts To “Disrespectful” Typo On Throwback Family Christmas Card
Shawn Mendes Reveals How He And Camila Cabello Are Spending Christmas
Selena Gomez Wins An Award From Peta For Her Vegan Rare Beauty Makeup Collection
Get To Know - Holly Humberstone
Get To Know: Holly Humberstone
Addison Rae And Rachael Leigh Cook Recreate She’s All That Scene On TikTok
The Weeknd - Blinding Lights - Music Video
The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' Was MTV’s Most Played Video Of 2020
Cardi B Surprises Offset With A Lamborghini In Celebration Of His 29th Birthday
Kylie Jenner Named Highest Paid Celebrity Of 2020 With Nearly $550 Million

More From Catfish: The TV Show

MTV's Catfish UK Is Casting Now!
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 512 l Meet The Real Alyssa
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 512 | Vince Gets Heavy About His Ex's Health
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: the tv show 7b | exclusive videos
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 7 | Bonus Vids
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show | 701 Sneak Peek: Nev and Charlamagne Look Back
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 7 | Exclusive Vids
TV Shows
Catfish Star Nev Schulman Marries 'Woman Of His Dreams' Laura Perlongo
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 6 | Best Bits
5 Celebrities who have been Catfished
5 Celebrities Who Have Been Catfished
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 613 | Sneak Peek: Obsessed Much?
Catfish: The TV Show
Catfish: The TV Show 613 | Sneak Peek: Off The Grid

Trending Articles

Bree Runway - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Bree Runway: 'Can You Imagine How Crazy I’m About To Go In 2021?'
Charli D’Amelio Sets The Record Straight About A Fake “Leaked” Picture Online
21 Types Of People You'll Find In Every Friendship Group
10 Things Your Heartbroken Friend Needs To Hear
How To Look After Your Mental Health In 2021
MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Voting For MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021 Is Open!
18 Most Naked Of Naked Moments To Have Ever Hit Geordie Shore
Inhaler - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Inhaler: ‘We Were A Really Bad Heavy Metal Band For A While’
Celebrity
10 Celebrities Who Have Some Seriously Kinky Sex Likes In The Bedroom
Claudia Valentina - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Claudia Valentina: ‘My Dreams Have Never Been Small’
From Lady Gaga To Chris Pratt: 8 Celebs Who Have A Seriously Sexy Past As A Stripper
  • Contact Us
  • Access Services
  • Website Terms
  • Mobile Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • MTV Jobs
  • MTV Press
  • Anti-Slavery
  • Global Tax Policy Statement
Hit us with some keywords!