chestnut

noun

chest·nut | \ ˈches(t)-(ˌ)nət

Definition of chestnut

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : any of a genus (Castanea) of trees or shrubs of the beech family especially : an American tree (C. dentata) that was formerly a dominant or codominant member of many deciduous forests of the eastern U.S. but has now been largely eliminated by the chestnut blight and seldom grows beyond the shrub or sapling stage

b : the edible nut of a chestnut

c : the wood of a chestnut

2 : a grayish to reddish brown

3 : horse chestnut

4 : a chestnut-colored animal specifically : a horse having a body color of any shade of pure or reddish brown with mane, tail, and points of the same or a lighter shade — compare bay entry 2 sense 1, sorrel entry 1 sense 1

5 : a callosity on the inner side of the leg of the horse — see horse illustration

6a : an old joke or story

b : something (such as a musical piece or a saying) repeated to the point of staleness

chestnut

adjective

Definition of chestnut (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of the color chestnut

2 : of, relating to, or resembling a chestnut

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Examples of chestnut in a Sentence

Noun an op-ed piece that's offers nothing but warmed-over chestnuts for solving the city's financial woes

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun French toast, savory rigatoni al portonat, hearty chestnut soup with honeycrisp apple and speck, avocado bruschetta toast, and the chef’s signature tiramisu. — Eric Rosen, Condé Nast Traveler, "AmEx's New Denver Centurion Lounge Takes Inspiration from the Rocky Mountains," 29 Jan. 2021 Al Chapski, whose kind chestnut eyes once gleamed with nostalgia, wouldn’t make it. — Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, "Two patients, one week in the hospital, and a world of change," 23 Jan. 2021 The classic colors for Ugg suede slippers are chestnut, sand, espresso, or black. — Ana Sanchez, chicagotribune.com, "The best UGG slippers for women," 22 Jan. 2021 The song is on a CD that is buried in a chestnut box made by her uncle Bill and staff have strict instructions to wait until 2045 to open the musical time capsule as part of the 30th anniversary celebration of DreamMore. — Joanna O'leary, Chron, "You'll have to wait 24 years to hear this Dolly Parton song," 10 Jan. 2021 There was an elegance in the chestnut-brown leather and tarnished brass latches. — Robert Tate Miller, The Christian Science Monitor, "The lesson of the leather suitcase," 23 Dec. 2020 Brunch features Lobster Newburg a la King with asparagus salad and vanilla chestnut coffee cake ($75). — Sharyn Jackson, Star Tribune, "25 Twin Cities restaurants offering takeout meals for New Year's Eve," 22 Dec. 2020 But in this recipe, chestnut puree bound with cream and a drizzle of warmed Nutella turn the formerly light classic into an indulgence. — chicagotribune.com, "What to make, buy, eat and drink for Christmas," 22 Dec. 2020 Pile a generous dollop of the chestnut cream into the center. — Jeanmarie Brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Dessert classics updated: Hot toddy pudding and hazelnut cream pavlovas for Christmas," 18 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chestnut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near chestnut

chestnut-backed chickadee

chestnut bean

chestnut blight

Statistics for chestnut

Last Updated

16 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Chestnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chestnut. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for chestnut

chestnut

noun

English Language Learners Definition of chestnut

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a type of tree that produces large, sweet nuts that can be eaten

: the nut of a chestnut tree

: the wood of a chestnut tree

chestnut

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of chestnut (Entry 2 of 2)

: of a reddish-brown color

See the full definition for chestnut in the English Language Learners Dictionary

chestnut

noun

chest·nut | \ ˈches-ˌnət

Kids Definition of chestnut

1 : a sweet edible nut that grows in burs on a tree related to the beech

2 : a reddish brown

chestnut

noun

chest·nut | \ ˈches-(ˌ)nət

Medical Definition of chestnut

1a : a tree or shrub of the genus Castanea (C. dentata) that is found in eastern North America and the leaf of which was formerly used to prepare an infusion for the treatment of whooping cough

b : the edible nut of a chestnut

2 : a callosity on the inner side of the leg of the horse

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