tuna

The word “tuna” means a large, fast-swimming saltwater fish prized as food. In plain terms, usually the fish sold fresh, canned, or as sushi — but in Spanish-speaking regions it can also mean the prickly pear fruit.

“Tuna” is pronounced TYOO-nuh (/ˈtjuː.nə/ in IPA).

Here is “tuna” used in a sentence: “They grilled fresh tuna steaks for dinner.”

Words with a similar meaning to “tuna” include tuna fish and tunny.

“Tuna” is a noun.

The word “tuna” comes from Latin. Borrowed from American Spanish tuna, an alteration of Spanish atún, ultimately from Arabic at-tunn, from Latin thunnus and Greek thynnos.

“Tuna” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Tuna” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large, fast-swimming saltwater fish prized as food.

Tuna and tuna fish refer to the same large, fast-swimming saltwater fish prized as food, with tuna fish being a common informal variant used especially in American English. There is no difference in meaning between the two terms.

Yes, tuna can also refer to the prickly pear cactus or its edible fruit, a sense distinct from the fish. This use is common in regions where the prickly pear is a familiar food source.

Tuna and tunny both refer to the same large saltwater fish, with tunny being an older or more British term that has largely been replaced by tuna in everyday use. Tuna is now the standard word across most varieties of English.