bonito
noun
bo·ni·to
bə-ˈnē-(ˌ)tō 
-ˈnē-tə
-ˈnē-tə
plural bonitos or bonito
1
: any of several swift-swimming scombroid fishes (genus Sarda) that are typically dark blue to bluish-green with dark stripes and a silvery belly, that are intermediate in size between the related mackerel and tuna, and that are valued as food and sport fishes
… the Atlantic bonito not only strikes hard …, the fish is also excellent table fare.—
Star-News (Wilmington, North Carolina)
Star-News (Wilmington, North Carolina)Pacific bonito are related to tuna and can grow to 20 pounds.—Allen Bushnell
Allen Bushnell
also
: a closely related fish (such as a dogtooth tuna or little tunny)
2
: skipjack tuna
For tuna—bluefin … and bonito—the fishermen … would drag a net between two boats …—Mark Kurlansky
Mark KurlanskyMy mother adopted the habit of offering as a condiment dried bonito flakes …—Corby Kummer
Corby KummerExamples of bonito in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Miller established the Sao Paolo Athletic Club and organized the country’s first football league—a decidedly posh affair in its early years, long before the jogo bonito would become synonymous with Brazil and the inspirational power of a poor man’s game.
—Andrés Martinez, TIME, 15 Sep. 2024
Miller established the Sao Paulo Athletic Club and organized the country’s first football league—a decidedly posh affair in its early years, long before the jogo bonito would become synonymous with Brazil and the inspirational power of a poor man’s game.
—Andrés Martinez, TIME, 15 Sep. 2024
Lo is a global-minded chef, so her recommended pantry swerves from bonito flakes to harissa to masa harina.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 2 Aug. 2024
Danny is the only chef to brine his fish before boiling it, which turns out to be a very smart move to pack it with flavor; his sofrito boil with salsa verde, carrot slaw, and french bean and bonito mayo salad is a big hit.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for bonito 
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Andrés Martinez, TIME, 15 Sep. 2024
Miller established the Sao Paulo Athletic Club and organized the country’s first football league—a decidedly posh affair in its early years, long before the jogo bonito would become synonymous with Brazil and the inspirational power of a poor man’s game.
—Andrés Martinez, TIME, 15 Sep. 2024
Lo is a global-minded chef, so her recommended pantry swerves from bonito flakes to harissa to masa harina.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 2 Aug. 2024
Danny is the only chef to brine his fish before boiling it, which turns out to be a very smart move to pack it with flavor; his sofrito boil with salsa verde, carrot slaw, and french bean and bonito mayo salad is a big hit.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for bonito
Dictionary Entries Near bonito
Cite this Entry
“Bonito.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonito. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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bonito
noun
bo·ni·to
bə-ˈnēt-ō
-ˈnēt-ə
plural bonitos or bonito
: any of various medium-sized tunas
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