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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."

How to use tetra

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small aquarium fish, often kept in colourful schools.

Common pairings
neon tetra school of tetras

Word forms

tetras plural

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Fill the gap

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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".

Origin: Greek

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".

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial