What does "tuna" mean?
Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae.
Tuna
/ˈtjuː.nə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae.
- Grammar: tuna is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: tuna fish, tunny, albacore, anguilla sucklandii.
- Usage evidence: The skin of a shark is much rougher than that of a tuna fish.
How to use "tuna"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tuna" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tuna" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tuna" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tuna" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "tuna" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "tuna fish" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "tuna", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several species of fish of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae. countable, uncountable
"Tuna was carried down by the flood; and when Maui saw him in the net he stretched forth his arm and with a blow of his stone axe smote Tuna and cut off his head, and it and the tail fell into the ocean. ... The head became fish, and the tail became the koiro (ngoiro—conger-eel)."
- 2 The prickly pear, a type of cactus native to Mexico in the genus Opuntia.
- 3 New Zealand eel wordnet
- 4 The edible flesh of the tuna. countable, uncountable
- 5 The fruit of the cactus.
"THE TUNA OR PRICKLY PEAR AS A FOOD FOR MAN"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 any very large marine food and game fish of the genus Thunnus; related to mackerel; chiefly of warm waters wordnet
- 7 important warm-water fatty fish of the genus Thunnus of the family Scombridae; usually served as steaks wordnet
- 8 tropical American prickly pear of Jamaica wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 Various towns and (historical) former settlements in Sweden.
- 2 A god, considered the son of Manga-wai-roa and source of eels.
"Tuna was carried down by the flood; and when Maui saw him in the net he stretched forth his arm and with a blow of his stone axe smote Tuna and cut off his head, and it and the tail fell into the ocean. [...] The head became fish, and the tail became the koiro (ngoiro—conger-eel)."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The skin of a shark is much rougher than that of a tuna fish."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tuna"?
Common synonyms include: tuna fish, tunny, albacore, anguilla sucklandii, bonito, fish.
How do you use "tuna" in a sentence?
The skin of a shark is much rougher than that of a tuna fish.
How do you pronounce "tuna"?
Pronounced /ˈtjuː.nə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From American 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.
Etymology 3
From Swedish Tuna, from Old Norse Tuna, from tún (“enclosure, enclosed area, settlement”).
Etymology 4
From Māori Tuna.