tetra

1 of 2

noun

tet·​ra ˈte-trə How to pronounce tetra (audio)
: any of numerous small often brightly colored South American characin fishes often bred in tropical aquariums

tetra-

2 of 2

combining form

variants or tetr-
1
: four : having four : having four parts
tetravalent
2
: containing four atoms or groups (of a specified kind)
tetrachloride

Examples of tetra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
What to Look for in the Best Chlorine Shampoos When searching for the best chlorine shampoos, look for ingredients like apple cider vinegar, ethylene diamine tetra acetic-acid (EDTA), sodium thiosulfate, charcoal, and crystallized vitamin C to effectively remove chlorine. Joseph Cheatham, Men's Health, 17 July 2023 Mexican blind cavefish, or Astyanax fasciatus, are a kind of small tetra sometimes found in home aquariums. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2014 The cardinal tetra, found only in the Rio Negro and Orinoco, is the most popular aquarium fish in Europe. Sy Montgomery, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2013 The cardinal tetra is just one of many species uniquely adapted for life in Brazil’s Rio Negro. Sy Montgomery, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2013 Because cavefish have evolved to live in an oxygen deficient environment, researchers weren't surprised to find that embryonic specimen exhibited more gene markers for hypoxia in comparison to the Mexican tetra. Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 11 June 2020 Jio’s milk tetra packs were puffed and dirty like someone picked them up from the mud and put them directly in the bag. Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz India, 3 June 2020 Like Mendez, who was born with an extremely rare condition called tetra-amelia syndrome, Perrino faces a multitude of challenges every day. BostonGlobe.com, 24 Sep. 2019 Rob Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome Nothing has ever gotten in the way of Rob Mendez and his dreams. Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE.com, 28 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tetra.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening from New Latin Tetragonopterus, former genus name, from Late Latin tetragonum quadrangle + Greek pteron wing — more at tetragonal, feather

Combining form

New Latin, from Greek; akin to Greek tettares four — more at four

First Known Use

Noun

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tetra was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near tetra

Cite this Entry

“Tetra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tetra. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tetra

1 of 2 noun
tet·​ra ˈte-trə How to pronounce tetra (audio)
: any of various small brightly colored South American fishes often kept in tropical aquariums

tetra-

2 of 2 combining form
: four : having four : having four parts
Etymology

Combining form

derived from Greek tetra- "four"

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