piñon

noun

pi·​ñon ˈpin-ˌyōn 

-ˌyän,

-yən;

pin-ˈyōn

variants or pinyon

plural piñons or pinyons or piñones pin-ˈyō-nēz 

: any of various small pines (such as Pinus quadrifolia, P. cembroides, P. edulis, and P. monophylla) of western North America with edible seeds

also : the edible seed of a piñon

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish piñón, from Spanish, pine nut, from piña pine cone, from Latin pinea — more at pineal

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

piñon

noun

pi·​ñon

variants or pinyon

ˈpin-ˌyōn  -ˌyän 

-yən;

pin-ˈyōn

plural piñons or pinyons or piñones pin-ˈyō-nēz 

: any of various small pines of western North America with edible seeds

also : the edible seed of a piñon