fugu

American  

[foo-goo] / ˈfu gu /

noun

1. any of several species of puffer fish eaten as a delicacy, especially in Japan, after the removal of the skin and certain organs which contain a deadly poison.

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fugu British  

/ ˈfuːɡuː /

noun

1. any of various marine pufferfish of the genus Tetraodontidae , eaten as a delicacy in Japan once certain poisonous and potentially lethal parts have been removed

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Etymology

Origin of fugu

Borrowed into English from Japanese around 1905–10

Example Sentences

Traditionally produced in northern Ghana on narrow-strip looms, the fugu is widely treated as the west African country's national costume, worn at festivals, political events and -- increasingly -- in offices and public life.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Zambia's president has weighed into a cultural debate that has erupted online after the president of Ghana arrived in Zambia wearing a traditional outfit called a fugu.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Some findings were unexpected, including previously unknown coronaviruses in the well-studied fugu fish and axolotls.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 26, 2022

The knowledge that a microscopic amount of lethal poison is in every slice of fugu sashimi immeasurably intensifies the experience of every bite, no matter how trusted the chef.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2022

There is Nippon, the stage where, since 1963, soba, fugu and other things have danced into the city’s consciousness.

From New York Times • Oct. 26, 2021