noun
tuna
TYOO-nuh
noun
1
A large, fast-swimming saltwater fish prized as food.
"They grilled fresh tuna steaks for dinner."
"Canned tuna is a cheap, protein-rich pantry staple."
2
The prickly pear cactus, or its edible fruit.
"Street vendors in Mexico City sell chilled tuna slices with lime and chili."
How to Use Tuna
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsually the fish sold fresh, canned, or as sushi — but in Spanish-speaking regions it can also mean the prickly pear fruit.
Common pairings
a can of tuna
tuna steak
tuna salad
Word Forms
tuna plural, tunas plural, tunas plural
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Etymology
Borrowed from American Spanish tuna, an alteration of Spanish atún, ultimately from Arabic at-tunn, from Latin thunnus and Greek thynnos.