mako

American  

[mey-koh, mah-] / ˈmeɪ koʊ, ˈmɑ- /

noun

plural

makos

1. a powerful mackerel shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

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mako ¹ British  

/ ˈmɑːkəʊ /

noun

1. any shark of the genus Isurus, esp I. glaucus of Indo-Pacific and Australian seas: family Isuridae

2. the teeth of the mako worn as a decoration by early Māoris

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mako ² British  

/ ˈmɑːkəʊˌmɑːkəʊ, ˈmɑːkəʊ /

noun

1. Also called: wineberry.  a small evergreen New Zealand tree, Aristotelia serrata: family Elaeocarpaceae

2. another name for bellbird

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Etymology

Origin of mako

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1720–30

Example Sentences

Another, filmed in Tunisia, shows heads and fins of what appears to be a short-finned mako shark, which is also a threatened and protected species, being prepared for sale.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

Shortfin mako was found in U.S. pet food, according to a 2019 study.

From National Geographic • Jul. 17, 2023

Tags that he and collaborators have placed on more than 100 blue and mako sharks support the idea.

From Science Magazine • Feb. 1, 2023

These include teeth from snaggletooth, lemon, mako, silky, sand tiger and great white sharks.

From Washington Post • Jan. 11, 2023

That the mako was not enjoying the treatment was evident from the way it was twisting and turning and beating its tail and reaching with its mouth.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel