pecan
Americannoun
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a tall hickory tree, Carya illinoinensis, of the southern U.S. and Mexico, cultivated for its oval, smooth-shelled, edible nuts: the state tree of Texas.
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a nut of this tree.
noun
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a hickory tree, Carya pecan (or C. illinoensis ), of the southern US, having deeply furrowed bark and edible nuts
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the smooth oval nut of this tree, which has a sweet oily kernel
Etymology
Origin of pecan
1765–75, < Mississippi Valley French pacane < Illinois pakani < Proto-Algonquian *paka·n- nut (derivative of *pake·- crack nuts)
Explanation
A pecan is a tree that grows nuts also known as pecans. These hard-shelled nuts are similar to walnuts and used for sweet treats like praline candy and pecan pie. Pecan comes from an Algonquian word that means "nut that takes a stone to crack." It takes some work to break open a pecan, but it's well worth the effort. There are at least three "correct" ways to pronounce this word, so your best bet is to pick your favorite and stick with it. Pecan wood is used to make furniture and for smoking meats, and four U.S. states claim the pecan as their official state nut.
Vocabulary lists containing pecan
English Words Derived from Indigenous Languages of the Americas
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Coffee pecan torte, spiced pear sponge with miso caramel.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Cake fillings of almond crunch and toasted pecan praline and candied lemon, while jackfruit and palm sugar bring distinct South-East Asian flavours.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Researchers analyzed 52 peer reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025, including human clinical trials examining the physiological effects of pecan consumption on cardiometabolic and other health related outcomes.
From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026
Gone are the sweet potatoes, pecan pie and corn muffins.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025
After a quick stop at the dessert station for a jumbo pecan brownie, I follow my family to a circle of painted lawn chairs.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
