chestnut
1 synonym for chestnut, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
chestnut tree
How to use chestnut
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
roast chestnuts
chestnut hair
old chestnut
Etymology
A shortening of Middle English "chesteine" plus "nut," from Old French chastaigne, from Latin castanea. The "old joke" meaning is said to come from an early-1800s play in which a repeated tall tale always mentioned a chestnut tree.
Full origin of chestnut →Frequently asked questions
What does “chestnut” mean?
The word “chestnut” means a tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself. In plain terms, a brown nut from a chestnut tree, the reddish-brown colour named after it, or (informally) a stale, over-repeated joke.
How do you pronounce “chestnut”?
“Chestnut” is pronounced CHEHS-nuht (/ˈt͡ʃɛs(t)ˌnʌt/ in IPA).
How do you use “chestnut” in a sentence?
Here is “chestnut” used in a sentence: “They roasted chestnuts over the fire.”
What part of speech is “chestnut”?
Depending on how it is used, “chestnut” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “chestnut” come from?
The word “chestnut” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Latin.
Is “chestnut” a common word?
“Chestnut” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “chestnut” have?
“Chestnut” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself.
