Tunas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of large marine fish belonging to the family Scombridae, known for its streamlined body and speed
2. A group of edible fish species often found in warm seas
3. Commonly used in cooking, especially in sushi, salads, and canned products

Etymology: The fish is named for a word that meant "darter" in Greek. Ancient Greek "thúnnos" may come from "thynein," "to dart along," a reference to the tuna's fast swimming, though this link is only a possibility. The Greek word passed into Latin as "thunnus," and from there into Arabic as "tunn," which Andalusian Arabic speakers used for the fish. Spanish took the word from Arabic in the form "atún," with the initial "a" from the Arabic article "al-" fused onto it. United States Spanish later shortened it to "tuna," and English borrowed that form. The English word is therefore a Latin-Greek name that travelled through Arabic and Spanish before reaching English, a route that explains why it looks so different from "tonno," the Italian word that is its doublet.

Synonyms: fish, skipjack, bluefin, yellowfin, albacore