acorn
Americannoun
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the typically ovoid fruit or nut of an oak, enclosed at the base by a cupule.
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a finial or knop, as on a piece of furniture, in the form of an acorn.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of acorn
before 1000; Middle English acorne (influenced by corn 1 ), replacing akern, Old English æcern, æcren mast, oak-mast; cognate with Old Norse akarn fruit of wild trees, Middle High German ackeran acorn, Gothic akran fruit, yield < Germanic *akrana-; alleged derivation from base of acre is dubious if original reference was to wild trees
Explanation
The nut, or fruit, that grows on oak trees is called an acorn. Chicken Little thought the sky was falling when an acorn fell on his head. Don't make that same mistake. Acorns are a distinctive nut that's often found on forest floors where oak trees grow. They are smooth and greenish, set in a rough brown base that's shaped like a little cup. The acorn is a seed, able to sprout roots if it falls in the right place, eventually growing into a new oak tree. Many animals eat acorns, some stockpiling the nuts for weeks. In Old English, æcern means "nut," from a Germanic origin.
Vocabulary lists containing acorn
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.
See Examples For:
Fireballs are made when larger pieces of debris - more like the size of a grape or an acorn - pass though the atmosphere.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
According to scientists, the crisis is being driven by a fast-growing bear population, combined with a falling human population and poor acorn harvest pushing bears to seek food elsewhere.
From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025
There the tribe has built a senior center and a shaded arbor for its ceremonial gatherings, including the making of “nupa,” the Miwok word for acorn soup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2025
Squash-based soups are just as great throughout winter, too, and that encompasses much more than just buttenrut, like kabocha or acorn.
From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2025
Cardan pulls a pin from his coat, a glittering, filigree thing in the shape of an acorn with an oak leaf behind it.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Bears are thriving thanks in part to an abundance of food -- including acorns, deer and boars -- under the influence of a warming climate, experts say.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
Which is more interesting: the grand sweep of Russian history or the crunching sound of acorns underfoot?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
Meat N’ Bone Pork Rack – Iberico is another special variety of pork, hailing from Spain, where these pigs roam free and are fed a diet of grass, grains, and acorns.
From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2025
Why is it a bumper year for acorns?
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2025
For example, a few minutes ago I gathered a handful of acorns and placed them at the base of the pine tree near my fallen log.
From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
