albacore

American  

[al-buh-kawr, -kohr] / ˈæl bəˌkɔr, -ˌkoʊr /

noun

plural

albacore,

plural

albacores

1. a long-finned tuna, Thunnus alalunga, of warm or temperate seas, the flesh of which is valued for canning.

2. any of various tunalike fishes.

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albacore British  

/ ˈælbəˌkɔː /

noun

1. Also called: long-fin tunny.  a tunny, Thunnus alalunga, occurring mainly in warm regions of the Atlantic and Pacific. It has very long pectoral fins and is a valued food fish

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Etymology

Origin of albacore

1570–80; < Portuguese albacora ≪ North African Arabic al-bakūrah the tuna

Explanation

Albacore is a large tuna fish with a long, silver body, huge eyes, and oversized pectoral fins. As a food, albacore is also known as "white tuna." When it comes to canned tuna fish, albacore isn't the safest type to eat regularly; because it's so large, it contains a high level of mercury. The smaller skipjack is considered a healthier choice. A fully grown albacore weighs over 70 pounds, and it can be found in both tropical and temperate waters. Albacore comes from the Portuguese and has an Arabic root: al bakara, or "milk cow."

Example Sentences

Whatever happens, he is making plans to supplement his income by traveling to Oregon and Washington this summer to fish for albacore tuna.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2024

For instance, during the heat waves of 2014 and 2015, bluefin and albacore tuna moved northwest.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2023

Products like albacore tuna and spot prawn can come from Vancouver, B.C.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2023

"It's unusual because it's been years and years since we've seen this amount of albacore," Quisca said.

From Reuters • Aug. 7, 2023

Today I’ll work out where the schools of bonito and albacore are and maybe there will be a big one with them.

From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway