TUNA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tuna mean? 

• TUNA (noun)
  The noun TUNA has 4 senses:

1. tropical American prickly pear of Jamaica

2. important warm-water fatty fish of the genus Thunnus of the family Scombridae; usually served as steaks

3. any very large marine food and game fish of the genus Thunnus; related to mackerel; chiefly of warm waters

4. New Zealand eel

  Familiarity information: TUNA used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TUNA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tropical American prickly pear of Jamaica

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Opuntia tuna; tuna

Hypernyms ("tuna" is a kind of...):

prickly pear; prickly pear cactus (cacti having spiny flat joints and oval fruit that is edible in some species; often used as food for stock)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Important warm-water fatty fish of the genus Thunnus of the family Scombridae; usually served as steaks

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

tuna; tuna fish; tunny

Hypernyms ("tuna" is a kind of...):

saltwater fish (flesh of fish from the sea used as food)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tuna"):

albacore (relatively small tuna with choice white flesh; major source of canned tuna)

bonito (flesh of mostly Pacific food fishes of the genus Sarda of the family Scombridae; related to but smaller than tuna)

bluefin; bluefin tuna (flesh of very large tuna)

Holonyms ("tuna" is a part of...):

tuna; tunny (any very large marine food and game fish of the genus Thunnus; related to mackerel; chiefly of warm waters)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any very large marine food and game fish of the genus Thunnus; related to mackerel; chiefly of warm waters

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

tuna; tunny

Hypernyms ("tuna" is a kind of...):

food fish (any fish used for food by human beings)

scombroid; scombroid fish (important marine food and game fishes found in all tropical and temperate seas; some are at least partially endothermic and can thrive in colder waters)

Meronyms (parts of "tuna"):

tuna; tuna fish; tunny (important warm-water fatty fish of the genus Thunnus of the family Scombridae; usually served as steaks)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tuna"):

albacore; long-fin tunny; Thunnus alalunga (large pelagic tuna the source of most canned tuna; reaches 93 pounds and has long pectoral fins; found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters)

bluefin; bluefin tuna; horse mackerel; Thunnus thynnus (largest tuna; to 1500 pounds; of mostly temperate seas: feed in polar regions but breed in tropics)

Thunnus albacares; yellowfin; yellowfin tuna (may reach 400 pounds; worldwide in tropics)

Holonyms ("tuna" is a member of...):

genus Thunnus; Thunnus (tunas: warm-blooded fishes)

Sense 4

Meaning:

New Zealand eel

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Anguilla sucklandii; tuna

Hypernyms ("tuna" is a kind of...):

eel (voracious snakelike marine or freshwater fishes with smooth slimy usually scaleless skin and having a continuous vertical fin but no ventral fins)

 Context examples 

"This research is a major advance in understanding how and why ocean predators, such as tuna and swordfish, are accumulating mercury," said Elsie Sunderland, senior author of the paper.

(Mercury levels in fish are on the rise, National Science Foundation)

Similar to the terms LIVER and MEAT flavor, this is a broad category term that encompass the various types of FISH (e.g., salmon and tuna).

(Fish Flavor, NCI Thesaurus)

Sharks, tuna, marlin and other large fish species were at particular risk, scientists said, with many vital ecosystems in danger of collapse.

(Oceans running out of oxygen at unprecedented rate, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Yellowfin tuna and skipjack tuna may shift their distribution eastward and poleward throughout the 21st century, with the potential disappearance of these species altogether from the western warm pool region.

(Pacific island fish migrating to cooler seas, SciDev.Net)

Low mercury fish include salmon, shrimp, pollock, canned light tuna, tilapia, catfish, and cod.

(Brain benefits of aerobic exercise lost to mercury exposure, NIH)

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in seafood, including fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and trout) and shellfish (such as crab, mussels, and oysters).

(Omega-3s linked with lower risk of fatal heart attacks, NIH)

Manganese is found in nuts, legumes, seeds, tea, whole grains and leafy green vegetables while selenium can be found in fish like tuna, cod, red snapper and herring and also in beef, poultry, grains and nuts.

(Micronutrients can counter lead effects in blood pressure, SciDev.Net)

These animals include jaguars, Spix's macaws, harpy eagles, vinaceous-breasted amazons, crowned solitary eagles, hawksbill turtles, green turtles, tarantulas, Amazon false coral snakes, Brazilian green racer snakes, cream-colored woodpeckers, blue spiny starfish, sharks, seahorses, piaba fish, sawfish, bluefin tuna, brown howler monkeys.

(Over 300 animal species threatened in Bahia, Agência Brasil)

Add another item to the ever-growing list of the dangerous impacts of climate change: Warming oceans are leading to an increase of the harmful neurotoxicant methylmercury in popular seafood, including cod, Atlantic bluefin tuna and swordfish, according to research led by researchers at Harvard University.

(Mercury levels in fish are on the rise, National Science Foundation)