katonkel, noun

/kəˈtɔŋk(ə)l//kəˈtɒŋk(ə)l/
Forms:
kartonkel, katonkerShow more Also kartonkel, katonker, katunka, katunker.
Origin:
Afrikaans, MalayShow more Afrikaans, adaptation of Malay kentangkai or ikan těnggiri Spanish mackerel, from ikan fish + těnggiri mackerel; see also quotation 1930.
Any of several species of marine fish (but especially Scomberomorus commerson). 1. The pampelmoesie, Stromateus fiatola. 2. Any of several fish of the Scombridae: a. The skipjack (sense 2), Katsuwonis pelamis. b. Sarda sarda. c. Scomberomorus commerson. d. S. plurilineatus; snoek sense 3. e. Acanthocybium solandri.
Note:
In Smith and Heemstra’s Smiths’ Sea Fishes (1986), the name ‘Atlantic bonito’ is used for Sarda sarda; ‘king mackerel’ for S. commerson; ‘queen mackerel’ for S. plurilineatus; and ‘wahoo’ for Acanthocybium solandri.
1853 L. Pappe Synopsis of Edible Fishes 26Stromateus Capensis Mihi. N. Sp. (Katunker)...A good table-fish, but not common. It is caught with the hook and the net, chiefly east of Table Bay.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 144The word ‘Katonkel’ has been corrupted from what was known by the Port Elizabeth Malays as ‘katunker’ or ‘katonker’ which originated from the original Malay word ‘kentangkai’, a kind of sea-fish.
1945 H. Gerber Fish Fare 49Katonkel which looks somewhat like mackerel or albacore has rather firm meat like the latter. It is a nice pickling fish.
1955 C. Horne Fisherman’s Eldorado 8The first few casts were sufficient to prove casual observation wrong, for yellowtail..had been replaced by the Western Province katonkel, always to be distinguished from the Eastern Province katonkel which is the barracuda of Natal and a much bigger fish than the katonkel found in False Bay.
1959 Cape Times 18 Feb. 2This is the first time in eight years that so many barracuda (katonkels) have been caught at one time.
1964 J. Bennett Mr Fisherman (1967) 18‘These katonkel. They’re what they call barracuda up in Natal?’ ‘Yes. But he’s not really a barracuda. Proper barracuda’s a different fish. Don’t get them so far south.’
1971 Argus 14 May 14Huge concentrations of yellowtail and katonkel stretching from Olifantsbos to Anvil Rock over the week-end provided spearfishermen with the best diving of the year.
1977 E. Prov. Herald 10 Feb. 17At one time our only recognised game fish in Eastern Cape waters was the katonkel.
1979 Snyman & Klarie Free from Sea 52Spanish Mackerel, Barracuda/Katonkel/Natal Snoek/Wahoo. Members of the large tuna family, these exciting game-fish have rich, tasty flesh.
1987 E. Prov. Herald 28 Mar. 6The Natal barracouda is not a member of the barracouda family. The name katonkel is a local name given by the old Cape Malay to this fish as it resembled a fish they knew..in their home country. Confusion increases when it is realised that the name katonkel is also used in the Western Cape for the bonito.
1990 M. Holmes in E. Prov. Herald 14 Sept. 18Colin..relaxes next to a 51lb katonkel while the diminutive Joy is dwarfed by poenskop of 58lb and 52lb.
The pampelmoesie, Stromateus fiatola.
The skipjack (sense 2), Katsuwonis pelamis.
Sarda sarda.
Scomberomorus commerson.
S. plurilineatus; snoek sense 3.
Acanthocybium solandri.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18531990

Browse Related Words

By Category

Fish

By Origin

Afrikaans
Malay
katjiepiering, nounn.Kat River, noun phrasen. phr.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English.