breadnut

noun

bread·​nut
ˈbred-ˌnət
plural breadnuts
1
: a tropical American evergreen tree (Brosimum alicastrum) of the mulberry family with sticky latex, sweet berries, starchy seeds, and hard white to yellowish wood
also : the fruit or seed

Note: Each breadnut berry contains a single large seed that is often roasted and ground to make a coffee substitute or boiled and eaten. The seeds are also sometimes ground to make a meal for bread. The leaves, fruit, and young branches of the breadnut provide forage for cattle.

2
: a tropical evergreen tree (Artocarpus camansi) of the mulberry family that is native to Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and has large, many-seeded, spiny fruits with little pulp
also : the fruit

Note: The breadnut was formerly treated as a seeded form of the breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) but is now typically considered its ancestor.

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breadnut was in 1756

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Dictionary Entries Near breadnut

Cite this Entry

“Breadnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breadnut. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

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