tuna1
[too-nuh, tyoo-]
- any of several large food and game fishes of the family Scombridae, inhabiting temperate and tropical seas.Compare albacore, bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna.
- any of various related fishes.
- Also called tuna fish. the flesh of the tuna, used as food.
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Origin of tuna1
1880–85, Americanism; < American Spanish, variant of Spanish atún < Arabic al the + tūn < Greek thýnnos tunny
tuna2
[too-nuh, tyoo-]
- any of various prickly pears, especially either of two erect, treelike species, Opuntia tuna or O. ficus-indica, of Mexico, bearing a sweet, edible fruit.
- the fruit of these plants.
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Origin of tuna2
1545–55; < Spanish < Taino
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
machomanlymusculargallantbraveboldhardyhunkadultstudjockmaleapecavemanstallionbeefcaketunacourageoushairyhonorableExamples from the Web for tuna
Contemporary Examples
Champagne, which is also acidic, offers a nice complement to anything from tuna tartare to beef bourguignon.
While the President chomped on his tuna fish sandwich, the Blackhawk pilot explained the details of his crash.
The next step was to steal one of the six pound tuna cans from the warehouse.
The birdman cooked the flesh in his ‘kitchen’, which was a tuna can on top of an ‘eye’ just like mine.
Who the hell would have a tuna sandwich first thing in the morning?
Historical Examples
A flock of gulls were circling low, perhaps over a school of tuna.
Tales of FishesZane Grey
When I think of Sam I think of tuna—those torpedoes of the ocean.
Tales of FishesZane Grey
We have tried to introduce principles of the Tuna Club of Avalon.
Tales of FishesZane Grey
His tail was big like that of a tuna, and his head sharper, more wolfish than a barracuda.
Tales of FishesZane Grey
Not only had I stopped the tuna, but soon I had him coming up, slowly yet rather easily.
Tales of FishesZane Grey
tuna1
- 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
- any of various similar and related fishes
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Word Origin
C20: from American Spanish, from Spanish atún, from Arabic tūn, from Latin thunnus tunny, from Greek
tuna2
- any of various tropical American prickly pear cacti, esp Opuntia tuna, that are cultivated for their sweet edible fruits
- the fruit of any of these cacti
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Word Origin
C16: via Spanish from Taino
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for tuna
n.
1881, from American Spanish (California) tuna, from Spanish atun, from Arabic tun, from Latin thunnus "tunny" (see tunny).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper