ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pistachio

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //pəˈstæʃiˌoʊ// UK //pɪstˈæʃɪˌəʊ// pis·ta·chio

n. a small, hard nut with a green shell that comes from a tree. You often see them in ice cream, cookies, or as a topping for salads.

n. the edible seed of a tree in the cashew family, typically found within a hard, woody shell. Often used as a flavoring or garnish in culinary contexts.


SIMPLE

I love the crunch of pistachios in my salad.

CONTEXTUAL

The chef sprinkled finely chopped pistachios over the chocolate cake to add a fresh, nutty flavor.

COMPLEX

While the pistachio is native to Central Asia, it has become a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, frequently appearing in both savory dishes and elaborate confections like baklava.

Origin

From Italian pistacchio (1590s), from Latin pistācium (“pistachio”), from Ancient Greek πιστάκιον (pistákion), from πιστάκη (pistákē, “pistachio tree”). Of Iranian origin. Compare Northern Kurdish pisteq, Persian پسته (peste), Middle Persian pstk' (pistag, “pistachio nut”), Old Armenian պիստակ (pistak) (from Iranian), Arabic فُسْتُق (fustuq), Turkish fıstık.

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