skipjack tuna

noun

plural skipjack tuna or skipjack tunas
: a relatively small tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis synonym Euthynnus pelamis) that is bluish above and silvery below with oblique dark stripes on the sides and belly
Switch to canned chunk light tuna packed in water, which generally comes from skipjack tunaFood & Fitness Advisor

called also skipjack, bonito

Examples of skipjack tuna in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Initial bites include ikura tartlet, a fresh salmon roe tartlet; katsuo pesto, skipjack tuna with pesto spaghetti; and aji toast, with horse mackerel and homemade milk bread. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2025 It is naturally found in kombu (kelp, a sea vegetable) and katsuobushi (smoked and dried skipjack tuna flakes). Yukari Sakamoto, AFAR Media, 12 June 2025 Deep-sea fishing for skipjack tuna, mahi-mahi, red snapper, grouper, and giant trevally; surfing the offshore breaks; and kayaking through mangrove swamps are excellent ways to fill a few days. Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skipjack tuna was in 1916

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Cite this Entry

“Skipjack tuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skipjack%20tuna. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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