Bonito

n.	1.	(Zool.) 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.
	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.
	3.	The medregal (Seriola fasciata), an edible fish of the southern of the United States and the West Indies.
	4.	The cobia or crab eater (Elacate canada), an edible fish of the Middle and Southern United States.

Noun	1.	bonito - flesh of mostly Pacific food fishes of the genus Sarda of the family Scombridae; related to but smaller than tuna
	2.	bonito - fish whose flesh is dried and flaked for Japanese cookery; may be same species as skipjack tuna Synonyms: Katsuwonus pelamis, oceanic bonito
	3.	bonito - any of various scombroid fishes intermediate in size and characteristics between mackerels and tunas

tuna, tuna fish, tunny