peanut

1 of 2

noun

pea·​nut ˈpē-(ˌ)nət 

plural peanuts

1

: a low-branching widely cultivated annual herb (Arachis hypogaea) of the legume family with showy yellow flowers having a peduncle which elongates and bends into the soil where the ovary ripens into a pod containing one to three oily edible seeds

also : its seed or seed-containing pod

2

: an insignificant or tiny person

3

peanuts plural : a trifling amount

4

: a pellet made of a low-density lightweight material (such as polystyrene foam or corn starch) that is used especially as packing material

—usually plural

It's all part of the company's mission to be more sustainable. When your paint shows up at your door, you won't find it loaded with polystyrene peanuts.

—Nicole Conway

In the 1800s the acorns were used for packing (like Styrofoam peanuts) and ships would dump them overboard and they'd wash up on shore.

—Rich Eldred

Whenever you get plants in the mail, or other fragile things, they come packed with these foam peanuts.

—Peter Hotton

The bill would also ban the sale of polystyrene loose fill packaging, or packing peanuts.

—Samantha Maldonado

peanut

2 of 2

adjective

: insignificant, petty

peanut politics

Synonyms of peanut

Noun

• sprinkling
• splash
• shred
• speck
• glimmer
• little
• hint
• touch
• lick
• handful
• bit

Adjective

• nominal
• slight
• tiny
• chicken
• petty

Examples of peanut in a Sentence

Noun

Five billion dollars is peanuts compared to what the government spends each year.

He works all day for peanuts.

Adjective

this is a peanut matter, and we're fools for wasting time on it

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Some examples include lentils, chickpeas, edamame, black beans, green peas, pinto beans, and peanuts. —Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 29 Dec. 2025

Scientists say this study is encouraging because eating peanuts could possibly reduce the risk for dementia, which increases as people age, since blood vessel function in the brain can become impaired. —Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025

Pad Thai typically features thin, flat rice noodles that are stir-fried with protein, like chicken, shrimp or tofu, eggs, bean sprouts, green onions and peanuts all tossed in a sweet and savory sauce and garnished with cilantro and lime. —Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 24 Dec. 2025

Process cookies and peanuts in a food processor about 1 minute or until finely chopped. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1836, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing peanut

• circus peanut
• peanut butter
• peanut gallery
• peanut oil

Rhymes for peanut

• caseinate
• selenate

Kids Definition

peanut

noun

pea·​nut

ˈpē-(ˌ)nət

1

: a plant of the legume family that has yellow flowers and is grown for its underground pods of oily nutlike edible seeds which yield peanut oil or are crushed to make peanut butter

also : this pod or one of the oily edible seeds it contains

2

plural : a very small amount