tuna

¹ American  

[too-nuh, tyoo-] / ˈtu nə, ˈtyu- /

noun

plural

tuna,

plural

tunas

1. any of several large food and game fishes of the family Scombridae, inhabiting temperate and tropical seas.

2. any of various related fishes.

3. Also called tuna fish.  the flesh of the tuna, used as food.

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tuna ² American  

[too-nuh, tyoo-] / ˈtu nə, ˈtyu- /

noun

1. any of various prickly pears, prickly pears, especially either of two erect, treelike species, Opuntia tuna or O. ficus-indica, of Mexico, bearing a sweet, edible fruit.

2. the fruit of these plants.

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tuna ¹ British  

/ ˈtjuːnə /

noun

1. 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

2. any of various similar and related fishes

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tuna ² British  

/ ˈtjuːnə /

noun

1. any of various tropical American prickly pear cacti, esp Opuntia tuna , that are cultivated for their sweet edible fruits

2. the fruit of any of these cacti

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Etymology

Origin of tuna¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1880–85; from Spanish (California), variant of Spanish atún, from Arabic al “the” + tūn, from Greek thýnnos tunny

Origin of tuna²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish, from Taíno

Example Sentences

By the time I was five or six, I was trusted with chopping boiled eggs to be folded into tuna salad.

From Salon

Ecuador's exports include vegetable fats, canned tuna, minerals and metals.

From Barron's

As we finished up our mid-afternoon meal — a hodgepodge of spicy tuna bites and asparagus fries paired with guava and berry mocktails — McCurdy reflected on the agency she is finally able to take.

From Los Angeles Times

It was filled with spicy tuna, cilantro, and jalapeño, topped with more tuna, sauce, and tobiko, and it was excellent!

From Salon

“This is what I’m after,” Arnett said as he grabbed a serving of fried rice with tuna — quickly going back for seconds.

From Los Angeles Times