ENGLISH
REFERENCE

peanut

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈpiˌnət// UK //pˈiːnʌt// peanut

n. a small, oval nut that grows in a shell underground. You can eat them as a snack, in butter, or in many types of cooking.

n. the edible seed of a South American leguminous plant that ripens in pods under the ground.


SIMPLE

I like to eat peanuts while watching a movie.

CONTEXTUAL

Many schools have strict rules against bringing peanuts into the classroom because some children have severe allergies.

COMPLEX

While commonly categorized as a nut in culinary contexts, the peanut is botanically a legume, sharing more characteristics with beans and lentils than with walnuts or almonds.

Synonyms
Origin

From pea + nut, perhaps a folk etymology of pinda, pinder (still found in Southern US dialects).

Usage

Commonly used in the plural when referring to the snack; the singular often acts as a modifier in compound nouns like 'peanut butter'.

Idioms2 entries

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