ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tuna

n. C / U
A2 Elementary US //ˈtjunə// UK //tjˈuːnɐ// tu·na

n. a large sea fish that people often eat. You can buy it fresh or in a metal can.

n. a large, fast-swimming marine fish of the mackerel family, widely used as a food source. Often refers to the flesh of the fish when used in a culinary context.


SIMPLE

I usually have a tuna sandwich for lunch.

CONTEXTUAL

The chef prepares fresh tuna steaks with a light crust of black pepper and sesame seeds.

COMPLEX

Commercial fishing for bluefin tuna is strictly regulated to prevent the collapse of populations in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Etymology tree Arabic اَلْ (al-) Phoenicianbor. Ancient Greek θῠ́ννος (thŭ́nnos)bor. Latin thunnusbor. Arabic تُنّ (tunn) Arabic اَلتُّنّ (at-tunn) Andalusian Arabic [Term?]bor. Old Spanish atun Spanish atúnder. United States Spanish tunabor. English tuna Borrowed from United States Spanish tuna, alteration of Spanish atún, from Arabic اَلتُّنّ (at-tunn, “tuna”), from Latin thunnus, itself from Ancient Greek θύννος (thúnnos). Possibly in the sense of "darter" from thynein "to dart along". Doublet of tonno.

Etymology 2

From Taíno.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the meat as food; countable when referring to the individual fish or different species.

© 2026 English Reference