Thunnus
/ˈθʌnəs/noun
A genus of large, fast-swimming tunas.
Did you know?The scientific name Thunnus comes from Greek thynnos/thynnos, the long-established name for tuna, showing that even taxonomy preserves an ancient Mediterranean fish-word with no mystical meaning attached.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
θύννος (thýnnos)
“Tuna or a large tunny fish.”
Classical Latin
Latin
thunnus
“Tunny, tuna-like fish.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
thunnus
“The learned form used in natural history and scholarly writing.”
Modern Scientific Latin
Latin
Thunnus
“Genus name for the tunas.”
Modern English
English
thunnus
“A scientific term referring to tuna genus in zoological classification.”