bonito

American  

[buh-nee-toh] / bəˈni toʊ /

noun

plural

bonito,

plural

bonitos

1. any mackerel-like fish of the genus Sarda, as S. sarda, of the Atlantic Ocean.

2. any of several related species, as the skipjack, Euthynnus pelamis.

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bonito British  

/ bəˈniːtəʊ /

noun

1. any of various small tunny-like marine food fishes of the genus Sarda , of warm Atlantic and Pacific waters: family Scombridae (tunnies and mackerels)

2. any of various similar or related fishes, such as Katsuwonus pelamis ( oceanic bonito ), the flesh of which is dried and flaked and used in Japanese cookery

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Etymology

Origin of bonito

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Spanish: literally, “pretty,” equivalent to bueno “good” + -ito diminutive suffix, or from Arabic bainīth

Compare meaning

How does bonito compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bonito vs. Bonita

Explanation

A bonito is a medium-sized fish that's a close relation of the tuna. When smoked and fermented, bonito is used to flavor many Japanese soups. Bonitos are in the same family as tuna and mackerel, and they're sometimes used as a less expensive substitute for skipjack tuna. In Japanese cuisine, the fish is commonly used in the form of "bonito flakes," or katsuobushi. These intensely flavorful dried flakes are added to dashi broth, which is the base of most miso soup. Bonito is a Spanish word that means "the good one."

Example Sentences

The "Manana sera bonito" singer is the first Latina artist to headline the festival, which draws massive crowds over two consecutive weekends in Indio, California.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

In most instances, kombu is used to flavor a broth or stock, or in certain cases, cooked with bonito flakes to make dashi, the fundamental, classic Japanese broth that is the base of countless recipes.

From Salon • May 14, 2024

Unlike pasta or curry, ramen is difficult to replicate at home, he said, Making it from scratch involves hours of cooking stock, with pork, beef or chicken, various fish or bonito flakes, and “kombu” kelp.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 24, 2024

On top of these, the team also noted that bonito stock cultures grew quicker and reached higher densities than cultures grown on conventional media, and likely produced more types or amounts of carotenoids.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2024

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