noun Uncommon

chestnut

CHEHS-nuht

Chestnut (noun) means a tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself. Example: “They roasted chestnuts over the fire.”

noun

A tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself.

"They roasted chestnuts over the fire."

A joke or story that has been told so often it has stopped being funny or interesting.

"He trotted out the same old chestnut about his college days."

adj

A deep reddish-brown colour, like the nut.

"She had long chestnut hair."

How to Use Chestnut

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA brown nut from a chestnut tree, the reddish-brown colour named after it, or (informally) a stale, over-repeated joke.

Common pairings

roast chestnuts chestnut hair old chestnut

Word Forms

Chestnuts plural

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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.

Origin: Latin · First attested 1800

Class of 1800 chestnut joined the language around 1800.

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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.