- Bonito
- Bonito Bo*ni"to, n.; pl. {Bonitoes}. [Sp. & Pg. bonito, fr.
Ar. bain[=i]t and bain[=i]th.] [Often incorrectly written
{bonita}.] (Zo["o]l.)
1. A large tropical fish ({Orcynus pelamys}) allied to the
tunny. It is about three feet long, blue above, with four
brown stripes on the sides. It is sometimes found on the
American coast.
[1913 Webster]
2. any of a variety of scombroid fishes of the genera {Sarda} or {Euthynnus}, with a size intermediate between those of the smaller mackerels and the tunas. It is applied especially to the {skipjack tuna} ({Euthynnus pelamis}, syn. {Katsuwonus pelamis}, formerly {Sarda Mediterranea}, also called {skipjack}) of the Atlantic, an important and abundant food fish on the coast of the United States, and ({Sarda Chilensis}) of the Pacific, and other related species. These are large and active fishes, of a blue color above and silver below, with black oblique stripes. --MW10 [1913 Webster +PJC]
3. The medregal ({Seriola fasciata}), an edible fish of the southern of the United States and the West Indies. [1913 Webster]
4. The cobia or crab eater ({Elacate canada}), an edible fish of the Middle and Southern United States. [1913 Webster] ||
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
