tu·na¹ (tū'nə, tyū'-)
n., pl., tuna, or -nas.

1. 1. Any of various often large scombroid marine food and game fishes of the genus Thunnus and related genera, many of which, including T. thynnus and the albacore, are commercially important sources of canned fish. Also called tunny.
   2. Any of several related fishes, such as the bonito.
2. The edible flesh of tuna, often canned or processed. Also called tuna fish.

[American Spanish, from Spanish atún, from Arabic at-tūn, the tuna, from Latin thunnus. See tunny.]

tu·na² (tū'nə, tyū'-)
n.

1. Any of several flat-jointed tropical American cacti of the genus Opuntia, which includes the prickly pears, especially O. tuna of Jamaica, having yellow flowers and edible red fruit.
2. The edible fruit of any of these cacti. Also called cactus pear.

[American Spanish, from Taino.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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