tuna

¹ American  

[too-nuh, tyoo-] / ˈtu nə, ˈtyu- /

noun

plural

tuna,

plural

tunas

1. any of several large food and game fishes of the family Scombridae, inhabiting temperate and tropical seas.

2. any of various related fishes.

3. Also called tuna fish.  the flesh of the tuna, used as food.

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tuna ² American  

[too-nuh, tyoo-] / ˈtu nə, ˈtyu- /

noun

1. any of various prickly pears, prickly pears, especially either of two erect, treelike species, Opuntia tuna or O. ficus-indica, of Mexico, bearing a sweet, edible fruit.

2. the fruit of these plants.

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tuna ¹ British  

/ ˈtjuːnə /

noun

1. Also called: tunny.  any of various large marine spiny-finned fishes of the genus Thunnus , esp T. thynnus , chiefly of warm waters: family Scombridae . They have a spindle-shaped body and widely forked tail, and are important food fishes

2. any of various similar and related fishes

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tuna ² British  

/ ˈtjuːnə /

noun

1. any of various tropical American prickly pear cacti, esp Opuntia tuna , that are cultivated for their sweet edible fruits

2. the fruit of any of these cacti

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Etymology

Origin of tuna¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1880–85; from Spanish (California), variant of Spanish atún, from Arabic al “the” + tūn, from Greek thýnnos tunny

Origin of tuna²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish, from Taíno

Example Sentences

This was a year after her sister had asked, with cameras rolling, whether a can of Chicken of the Sea contained tuna or chicken, and whether Buffalo wings were made out of buffalo.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

The starter is a nod to McIlroy's favourite New York restaurant, Le Bernardin, where the 36-year-old always orders yellowfin tuna carpaccio.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

“You want to make me a tuna melt?”

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2026

The State Department recently said the U.S. would send $6 million in humanitarian aid, which includes canned tuna, rice, beans, pasta, and solar lamps to allow recipients to charge their phones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

We went to fetch water together, and we played with empty tuna and tomato paste cans, pretending to cook and be housewives.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau