Word Study
bonito
CIDE DICTIONARY
bonito, n. [Sp. & Pg. bonito, fr. Ar. bainīt and bainīth.].
- A large tropical fish (
Orcynus pelamys ) allied to the tunny. It is about three feet long, blue above, with four brown stripes on the sides. It is sometimes found on the American coast. [1913 Webster] - any of a variety of scombroid fishes of the genera
Sarda orEuthynnus , with a size intermediate between those of the smaller mackerels and the tunas. It is applied especially to theskipjack tuna (Euthynnus pelamis , syn.Katsuwonus pelamis , formerlySarda Mediterranea , also calledskipjack ) of the Atlantic, an important and abundant food fish on the coast of the United States, and (Sarda Chilensis ) of the Pacific, and other related species. These are large and active fishes, of a blue color above and silver below, with black oblique stripes. [1913 Webster] - The medregal (
Seriola fasciata ), an edible fish of the southern of the United States and the West Indies. [1913 Webster] - The cobia or crab eater (
Elacate canada ), an edible fish of the Middle and Southern United States. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
bonito, n. (pl. -os) any of several tunny-like fish which are striped like mackerel and are common in tropical seas.
Etymology
Sp.
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