nut

1 of 2

noun

ˈnət 

plural nuts

1

a

botany : any hard-shelled dry fruit (such as an acorn, hazelnut, or chestnut) with a woody pericarp

b(1)

: a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed (such as a hazelnut, walnut, or peanut) with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel see also tree nut

(2)

: the kernel of a nut

2

a

: a hard problem or undertaking

—used especially in phrases like a tough/hard/difficult nut to crack

Country radio is a notoriously tough nut to crack: … the journey to the top can be arduous—only to maybe taste a week or two at the summit.

—Dan Rys

b

: core, heart

3

: a perforated block usually of metal that has an internal screw thread and is used on a bolt or screw for tightening or holding something

4

: the ridge in a stringed instrument (such as a violin) over which the strings pass on the upper end of the fingerboard

5

: a small lump (as of butter)

6

a

: a foolish or eccentric person

With all her on-set antics (which I loved), it would be easy to discount Cloris [Leachman] as a bit of a nut.

—Nellie Andreeva

also, sometimes offensive : someone who is not mentally sound

b

: enthusiast

a movie nut

7

nuts ˈnəts  plural : nonsense

—often used interjectionally

8

slang : a person's head

9

informal + impolite : testis

10

: the amount of money that must be earned in order to break even

11

: en sense 1

nutlike

ˈnət-ˌlīk 

adjective

nut

2 of 2

verb

nutted; nutting

intransitive verb

: to gather or seek nuts

Synonyms of nut

Noun

• eccentric
• character
• crank
• flake
• nutter
• fruitcake
• wacko
• crackpot
• weirdo
• original
• loony
• nutcase
• kook
• loon
• piece of work
• crack

Examples of nut in a Sentence

Noun

The squirrel cracked the nut and ate the meat inside.

walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and other nuts

The squirrel sat and ate the nut.

Are you allergic to nuts?

a bowl of nuts and raisins

That guy is a real nut.

She's a real baseball nut.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Consider combining fruits with nuts, Greek yogurt, cheese, or seeds for this effect. — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 5 Nov. 2026

South Africa’s fruit and nut exporters have benefited from the 26-year-old program that allows thousands of products from eligible sub-Saharan countries to enter the US market duty-free. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026

While most leaves, except for yew, are not a problem, black walnuts, sago palm fruit, and hickory nuts are toxic to pets. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2026

Studies suggest that nut consumption may play a role in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes, though more research is needed to confirm these benefits. — Lindsey Desoto, HEALTH, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English nute, note, from Old English hnutu; akin to Old High German nuz nut and perhaps to Latin nux nut

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b(1)

Verb

circa 1670, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing nut

• betel nut
• Brazil nut
• cashew nut
• cola nut
• ginger nut
• ivory nut
• kola nut
• lichee nut
• litchi nut
• lug nut
• lychee nut
• macadamia nut
• nut-brown
• nut butter
• nut case
• nut graf
• nut grass
• nut job
• pine nut
• self-locking nut
• shea nut
• tree nut
• wing nut

Rhymes for nut

• but
• butt
• cut
• glut
• gut
• hut
• jut
• mutt
• putt
• rut
• shut
• smut

Kids Definition

nut

noun

ˈnət

1

a

: a hard-shelled dry fruit (as a peanut in the shell) or seed (as a Brazil nut) with an inner kernel

also : this kernel

b

: a dry one-seeded fruit (as an acorn, hazelnut, or chestnut) that has a woody outer layer and does not break open when it is ripe

2

: a block of metal with a hole in it that is fastened to a bolt or screw by means of a screw thread within the hole

3

: the ridge on the upper end of the fingerboard of a stringed instrument over which the strings pass

4

a

: a foolish or odd person

b

: enthusiast

a movie nut

Etymology

Noun

Old English hnutu "nut"