definitions

tuna

1
[ too-nuh, tyoo- ]
/ ˈtu nə, ˈtyu- /
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noun, plural (especially collectively) tu·na, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) tu·nas.

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.

RELATED WORDS

macho, manly, muscular, gallant, brave, bold, hardy, hunk, adult, stud, jock, male, ape, caveman, stallion, beefcake, courageous, hairy, honorable, mannish

Nearby words

tumultuary, tumultuous, tumulus, tun, tun., tuna, tunable, tunbridge ware, tunbridge wells, tundish, tundra

Origin of tuna

1
1880–85, Americanism; < American Spanish, variant of Spanish atún < Arabic al the + tūn < Greek thýnnos tunny

Definition for tuna (2 of 2)

tuna

2
[ too-nuh, tyoo- ]
/ ˈtu nə, ˈtyu- /

noun

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.

Origin of tuna

2
1545–55; < Spanish < Taino
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for tuna (1 of 2)

tuna

1
/ (ˈtjuːnə) /

noun plural -na or -nas

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

Word Origin for tuna

C20: from American Spanish, from Spanish atún, from Arabic tūn, from Latin thunnus tunny, from Greek

British Dictionary definitions for tuna (2 of 2)

tuna

2
/ (ˈtjuːnə) /

noun

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

Word Origin for tuna

C16: via Spanish from Taino
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

Word Origin and History for tuna

tuna

n.

1881, from American Spanish (California) tuna, from Spanish atun, from Arabic tun, from Latin thunnus "tunny" (see tunny).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper