breadnut

American  

[bred-nuht] / ˈbrɛdˌnʌt /

noun

1. the round, yellow or brown fruit of the ramon, Brosimum alicastrum, of the mulberry family, used, roasted or boiled, as a substitute for bread in the West Indies.

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breadnut British  

/ ˈbrɛdˌnʌt /

noun

1. a moraceous tree, Brosimum alicastrum , of Central America and the Caribbean

2. the nutlike fruit of this tree, ground to produce a substitute for wheat flour, esp in the West Indies

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Etymology

Origin of breadnut

First recorded in 1750–60; bread + nut

Example Sentences

An apparently innocuous painting of the breadnut plant from around 1825 produced by a now-anonymous artist trained in China belies its history as a fruit of imperial interest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

I embarked on several days’ worth of nongkrong in Gudskul, arriving in the midmorning quiet to sit under the breadnut trees with anyone who was up for a chat.

From New York Times • Jun. 9, 2022