Tilapia means: Any of various edible fish, formerly species of the genus , but now placed in other cichlid genera , native to Africa and the Middle East but cultivated worldwide.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. As a place or proper-name reference it is purely descriptive. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
tilapia
Any of various edible fish, formerly species of the genus , but now placed in other cichlid genera (such as ), native to Africa and the Middle East but cultivated worldwide.
Seen in the wild
3 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
#Vtuber #VtuberBreakfast Today we have Tilapia with dill mayo, and french fries with salt, pepper, and Garlic mayo. Also, i will be live playing Minecraft in about a few
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BlueskyMay 2026
Lunch was great too, at the restaurant that catered Barack Obama's Kenyan homecoming event. Kenyan food is a mix of lots of influences, especially from the Indian population that's been here since the 1890s. The cocon…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Bream Cod Mackerel Clams Garlic Lemon Dill Salmon Tilapia Tuna Eggs
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Definitions
Global
#1·Apr 27, 2026Global
Any of various edible fish, formerly species of the genus , but now placed in other cichlid genera (such as ), native to Africa and the Middle East but cultivated worldwide.
Well I dined last night with Scarface RonOn tilapia fishcakes and fried black swan.
Origin: , from . The drag race slang usage is a reference to the comment by Gia Gunn on entering Ru Paul's Drag Race (season 6) "Just landed like fresh tilapia". Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Tilapia means: Any of various edible fish, formerly species of the genus , but now placed in other cichlid genera , native to Africa and the Middle East but cultivated worldwide.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. As a place or proper-name reference it is purely descriptive. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
tilapia means: Any of various edible fish, formerly species of the genus , but now placed in other cichlid genera , native to Africa and the Middle East but cultivated worldwide.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Heard in the wild
“#Vtuber #VtuberBreakfast Today we have Tilapia with dill mayo, and french fries with salt, pepper, and Garlic mayo. Also, i will be live playing Minecraft in about a few”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Global
#2·Apr 27, 2026Global
(Drag Race slang) A fishy drag queen; a drag queen who could pass for a woman, as opposed to one who is exaggeratedly feminine.
Vietnamese tilapia Plastique Tiara was at the forefront of one of Drag Race's most controversial eliminations earlier this year. Although the Texan performer and biological woman was leaving us gooped week-after-week with her runways, sh…
Cluster: disagree
Heard in the wild
“Lunch was great too, at the restaurant that catered Barack Obama's Kenyan homecoming event. Kenyan food is a mix of lots of influences, especially from the Indian population that's been here since the 1890s. The coconut curry tilapia and grilled goat were my faves.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Bream Cod Mackerel Clams Garlic Lemon Dill Salmon Tilapia Tuna Eggs”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🎤About Black culture & AAVE slang
Slang from Black American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, drag and ballroom culture, the Caribbean, and NYC street vocabulary. The single largest source of new mainstream English slang in living memory.
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Other words near "tilapia" (T)
tikangatikanga Maoritiki tourTikTok made me buy itTikTok pastaTILtill dateTillytilttilt checktilt energytilter
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Any of the genus of freshwater, tropical cichlids.
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A diadromous fish of species , of the family, order , widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific; a popular food fish.
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(US) Any of various species of heavy-bodied cyprinid fish from East Asia.
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A freshwater fish of the genus .