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
1
A tree that produces glossy brown edible nuts, or the nut itself.
"They roasted chestnuts over the fire."
2
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
1
A deep reddish-brown colour, like the nut.
"She had long chestnut hair."
How to use chestnut
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
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They roasted _____ over the fire.
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.
Class of 1800
chestnut joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Synonyms
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chestnut tree
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.
