noun
nutmeg
NUHT-mehg
noun
1
The aromatic seed of the nutmeg tree, ground and used as a spice.
"She grated fresh nutmeg over the eggnog."
2
In football and similar sports, the act of passing the ball through an opponent's legs.
"The winger embarrassed the defender with a cheeky nutmeg."
verb
1
To pass the ball between an opponent's legs.
"He nutmegged the goalkeeper before slotting the ball home."
How to Use Nutmeg
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA warm cooking spice from a tropical tree, and in football slang, kicking the ball through someone's legs.
Common pairings
grated nutmeg
a pinch of nutmeg
nutmeg the defender
Word Forms
nutmegged past tense, nutmegs plural, nutmegs singular
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Etymology
From Middle English notemuge, a partial translation of Medieval Latin nux muscata, "musky nut".