# tilapia

CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tilapia
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a common freshwater fish with mild white flesh that people farm and eat around the world.

For teachers: a freshwater cichlid fish of the genus Oreochromis and related genera, widely farmed for food. Flesh is white, mild-flavoured, and low in fat.

## Examples

- We eat tilapia with rice every Friday.
- The market sells fresh tilapia from local farms at a price most families can afford.
- Because tilapia grows quickly in warm ponds and eats cheap plant feed, farmers in many countries raise it as an affordable source of protein.

## Usage notes

- Plural is 'tilapia' or 'tilapias'; uncountable when referring to the flesh as food.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.