tilapia

noun

ti·​la·​pia tə-ˈlä-pē-ə How to pronounce tilapia (audio) -ˈlā- How to pronounce tilapia (audio)
plural tilapia also tilapias
: any of numerous chiefly African freshwater cichlid fishes (genera Oreochromis, Tilapia, and Sarotherodon) often raised for food

Examples of tilapia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the same reason, Stop Sales also rained on shrimp, mahi fillets, tilapia, bologna, sausage and ham in retail cold units. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025 Dietary options: Carb-conscious, gluten-free, high-protein, keto, Mediterranean, paleo, pescatarian, vegan, vegetarian Meal examples: Caribbean-spiced tilapia with mango salsa; beef and sweet potato taco skillet; harvest salad with chicken and bacon Cost: Meals start at $13 per serving. Sara Coughlin, SELF, 23 Dec. 2024 Meals include cod, tilapia, salmon and vegetarian options, with dinners ranging from $7 to $14. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 14 Feb. 2024 Rising salinity might be killing off the vegetation where the tilapia and peacock bass like to live. Charlie Cordero, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tilapia

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tilapia was in 1849

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tilapia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tilapia. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on tilapia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!