τόνος
tónos/ˈtonos/masculine
The Greek word for tuna is τόνος (tónos).
The word τόνος refers to the fish. In different contexts, however, it can also mean 'tone' (such as in music or speech) or 'accent' (referring to a diacritical mark).
Meaning: fish (noun)
Which one should you use?
While it refers to the fish, τόνος can also mean 'tone' or 'accent' depending on the context of your sentence.
Did you know?
- The musical meaning of τόνος comes from an Ancient Greek word meaning 'rope' or 'chord'. This refers to the tension of a string that creates a specific pitch.
- Because τόνος can mean 'tone' or 'accent', a Greek speaker might joke about the 'pitch' of a fish if the context is ambiguous.
Examples in context
- Τι θα φάμε σήμερα. Έχω φτιάξει ριζότο με τόνο.What are we having today? I've made risotto with tuna.
- Ο τόνος είναι μεγάλος.O tonos einai megalos.The tuna is big.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tuna” translations and entries τόνος, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries τόνος, CC BY-SA 4.0.
