tetra

[ te-truh ]

noun
  1. any of several tropical, freshwater fishes of the family Characidae, often kept in aquariums.

Origin of tetra

1
1930–35; shortening of New Latin Tetragonopterus former genus name. See tetragon, -o-, -pterous

Other definitions for tetra- (2 of 2)

tetra-

  1. a combining form meaning “four,” used in the formation of compound words: tetrabranchiate.

Origin of tetra-

2
<Greek, combining form of téttara, neuter of téttaresfour
  • Also especially before a vowel, tetr-.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tetra in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tetra (1 of 2)

tetra

/ (ˈtɛtrə) /


nounplural -ra or -ras
  1. any of various brightly coloured tropical freshwater fishes of the genus Hemigrammus and related genera: family Characidae (characins)

Origin of tetra

1
C20: short for New Latin tetragonopterus (former genus name), from tetragon + -o- + -pterous, from Greek pteron wing

British Dictionary definitions for tetra- (2 of 2)

tetra-

combining form
  1. four: tetrameter

Origin of tetra-

2
from Greek

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012