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Definition of neon tetra

neon tetra

Plural:neon tetras
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neon tetra Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A small, brightly colored freshwater fish (Paracheirodon innesi) of the family Characidae, native to the blackwater and clearwater streams of the Amazon basin in South America, distinguished by its striking iridescent blue and red horizontal stripes.

Example

"The hobbyist carefully acclimated a vibrant school of neon tetras to the heavily planted community aquarium."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for neon tetra

• Nearby Words

neoadjuvant
neomarica
neon rainbowfish
neon tetra
neoregelia
neoscholastic
neotropical

Word Origin & Etymology

Named for its bright, iridescent colors that resemble glowing neon lights, combined with 'tetra', a common name for many small characid fishes (originally derived from the genus name Tetragonopterus, from Greek 'tetra-' meaning four and 'pteron' meaning wing or fin).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Neon tetra. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/neon tetra
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