chinquapin

noun

chin·​qua·​pin ˈchiŋ-ki-ˌpin 

variants or chinkapin

1

: the edible nut of a chinquapin

2

: any of several trees (genera Castanea and Castanopsis)

especially : a dwarf chestnut (Castanea pumila) of the U.S.

Examples of chinquapin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chinkapin, sometimes spelled as chinquapin and known scientifically as Quercus muehlenbergii, is a type of oak that has been used by other distilleries and brands to age whiskey before. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025

It has been commonly thought that the root system of an Ozark chinquapin mainly consisted of one large tap root. — Deb Harvell, arkansasonline.com, 23 Sep. 2024

Rare plants, including small Ozark chinquapin trees, are found here. — Flip Putthoff, Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2022

The fishing for bass, bluegills and redear sunfish — also known as the chinquapin in Cajun country — was a bit slow in the wake of recent deluges that raised the water in the miles of canals a foot or so. — John Goodspeed, San Antonio Express-News, 24 June 2021

Most of the trees planted were different types of native oak, including swamp white, burr, red and chinquapin. — Frank Vaisvilas, Daily Southtown, 7 June 2019

Fruit and leaf fossils from the site, called Laguna del Hunco, belong to a still-living genus of trees called Castanopsis, or chinquapin, that today is found largely in the mountain rainforests of Southeast Asia. — Peter Wilf, National Geographic, 6 June 2019

Word History

Etymology

probably modification of Virginia Algonquian chechinquamin chinquapin nut

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chinquapin

• chinquapin oak

Rhymes for chinquapin

• businessman
• canavan
• caravan
• constantan
• dragoman
• fisherman
• handyman
• harmattan
• journeyman
• marianne
• middleman
• minivan