noun
peanut
PEE-nuht
noun
1
The edible seed of Arachis hypogaea, a legume that grows its pods underground, despite being called a nut.
"He spread peanut butter thickly on the toast."
"Roasted peanuts are a popular bar snack."
How to Use Peanut
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small legume seed eaten as a snack or ground into peanut butter — botanically a legume, not a true nut.
Memory tip
Peanuts grow underground in pods, unlike tree nuts like almonds or walnuts.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
peanut butter
roasted peanuts
peanut allergy
Word Forms
peanutted past tense, peanuts plural, peanuts singular
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He spread _____ butter thickly on the toast.
Etymology
A compound of pea + nut, likely reshaping an earlier word (pinda) borrowed via West African languages.