walnut

/ˈwɔlˌnʌt/

UK: /ˈwɔːlnʌt/

walnut

English Noun Top 16,505

Definition

A hardwood tree of the genus Juglans.

Etymology

From Middle English walnote, walnutte, walnotte, from Old English wealhhnutu (“walnut”, literally “foreign nut”), from Proto-Germanic *walhaz (“foreigner”) + *hnuts (“nut”). Cognate with Dutch walnoot, German Walnuss, Swedish valnöt, Icelandic valhneta. Compare more recent term Welsh onion, which also uses Welsh to mean “foreign”.