Anilao

/ˌɑːnɪˈlaʊ/ noun

Definition

A large Philippine marine fish of the grouper family, valued for food.

Etymology

From Tagalog 'anilao', the native Filipino name for this fish species. It entered English through colonial contact and trade with the Philippines in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Kelly Says

Anilao is a perfect example of how English continually absorbs local fish names from around the world—just as 'tuna' came from Spanish, 'anilao' preserves the Tagalog name for a fish that's crucial to Philippine cuisine and marine culture.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.