false albacore

noun

plural false albacore or false albacores

: a small active nearly scaleless tuna (Euthynnus alletteratus) of warm usually shallow marine waters that is blue with short dark wavy stripes and a silvery-white belly, that typically reaches a length of 32 inches (81 centimeters), and that is valued as a sport fish : little tunny

Some fishermen that were hot on the trail of the false albacore this weekend were able to catch up to a few of the speedsters.

—Dan Radel

False albacore are in huge schools just off the beach and are being caught …

—Marc Maus

called also bonito

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above