walnut
noun
wal·nut
ˈwȯl-(ˌ)nət 
1
a
: the furrowed nut of any of a genus (Juglans of the family Juglandaceae, the walnut family) of deciduous trees
especially
: the large edible nut of an English walnut
b
: a tree that bears walnuts
c
: the wood of a walnut that is often used for cabinetmaking and veneers
2
: a moderate reddish brown
Examples of walnut in a Sentence
The banana bread has walnuts in it.
The recipe calls for a cup of chopped walnuts.
a table made of walnut
Recent Examples on the Web
The short tunnel, strikingly lined with alternating panels of pine and walnut, is one of the original architectural features from the park’s creation more than 150 years ago.
—
Joshua Barone, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Create a Chain Reaction While most bunk beds boast a simple wooden frame, this space by Ike Baker Velten gives you permission to think outside of the birch (or walnut… or mahogany…) box.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
But that isn’t to say that eating a diet full of walnuts, avocados, fish, and other nutrient-dense foods doesn’t offer benefits for younger people as well.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Health, 9 Apr. 2024
Wood tones ranging from light oak to rich walnut add depth to these palettes.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2024
Cold water fatty fish – remember the SMASH acronym: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring – are the best sources of omega-3s, but vegetarians or vegans can get their fix from flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts.
—Georgia Day, Glamour, 12 Mar. 2024
Finally, to finish, is a light, tender walnut sponge cake, risen with egg whites and without any wheat flour, just finely ground walnuts.
—David Tanis, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024
People should also consider eating more legumes, such as beans and lentils, and incorporate nuts like walnuts, pistachios and almonds into their meals.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
Top the finished Easter dinner side dish with crisp prosciutto, Gruyere cheese, and toasted walnuts.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2024
Joshua Barone, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Create a Chain Reaction While most bunk beds boast a simple wooden frame, this space by Ike Baker Velten gives you permission to think outside of the birch (or walnut… or mahogany…) box.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
But that isn’t to say that eating a diet full of walnuts, avocados, fish, and other nutrient-dense foods doesn’t offer benefits for younger people as well.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Health, 9 Apr. 2024
Wood tones ranging from light oak to rich walnut add depth to these palettes.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2024
Cold water fatty fish – remember the SMASH acronym: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring – are the best sources of omega-3s, but vegetarians or vegans can get their fix from flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts.
—Georgia Day, Glamour, 12 Mar. 2024
Finally, to finish, is a light, tender walnut sponge cake, risen with egg whites and without any wheat flour, just finely ground walnuts.
—David Tanis, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024
People should also consider eating more legumes, such as beans and lentils, and incorporate nuts like walnuts, pistachios and almonds into their meals.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
Top the finished Easter dinner side dish with crisp prosciutto, Gruyere cheese, and toasted walnuts.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'walnut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near walnut
Cite this Entry
“Walnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walnut. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
walnut
noun
wal·nut
ˈwȯl-(ˌ)nət
1
a
: an edible nut of any of a genus of trees related to the hickories
especially
: the large nut of a Eurasian tree
b
: a tree that produces walnuts compare black walnut
c
: the usually reddish to dark brown wood of a walnut that is widely used for cabinetwork and veneers
2
: a medium reddish brown
Etymology
Old English wealhhnutu, literally "foreign nut," from Wealh "Welshman, foreigner" + hnutu "nut" — related to welsh
Word Origin
Long before walnut trees were introduced into England, they were cultivated for their tasty nuts in southern Europe. The nut tree native to the more northern areas of Europe was the hazel. In order to tell apart the native hazelnut and the less familiar walnut, Old English called the walnut wealhhnutu, which means "foreign nut." This word is a compound of wealh, "foreigner" and hnutu "nut." The Old English word wealh has supplied us with another word as well. While wealh meant "foreigner" in a general sense, it was applied specifically by the Anglo-Saxon invaders of Britain to the native people they found living on the island. Wealh gave rise to the modern forms Welsh, Welshman, and Welshwoman.
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