noun
tetra
TEH-truh
Tetra (noun) means any of several small, brightly coloured freshwater fish popular in home aquariums. Example: “She added a school of neon tetras to her fish tank.”
noun
1
Any of several small, brightly coloured freshwater fish popular in home aquariums.
"She added a school of neon tetras to her fish tank."
"Among them were ancient relatives of the piranhas and those popular aquarium fish the tetras, along with garfish and freshwater coelacanths, known as mawsonids."
— Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History (2018)
How to use tetra
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small aquarium fish, often kept in colourful schools.
Common pairings
neon tetra
school of tetras
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like tetra.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- tetras
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She added a school of neon _____ to her fish tank.
Etymology
Shortened from the scientific genus name Tetragonopterus, built from Greek tetragonos, "four-sided", and pteron, "fin".
Rhymes for tetra
See all rhymes for tetra →Frequently asked questions
What does “tetra” mean?
The word “tetra” means any of several small, brightly coloured freshwater fish popular in home aquariums. In plain terms, a small aquarium fish, often kept in colourful schools.
How do you pronounce “tetra”?
“Tetra” is pronounced TEH-truh (/ˈtɛ.tɹə/ in IPA).
How do you use “tetra” in a sentence?
Here is “tetra” used in a sentence: “She added a school of neon tetras to her fish tank.”
What part of speech is “tetra”?
“Tetra” is a noun.
Where does the word “tetra” come from?
The word “tetra” comes from Greek. Shortened from the scientific genus name Tetragonopterus, built from Greek tetragonos, "four-sided", and pteron, "fin".
