butternut

[buht-er-nuht]

noun

1. Also called white walnut. the edible oily nut of an American tree, Juglans cinerea, of the walnut family.

2. the tree itself.

3. the light-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture.

4. the light-brown color resulting from a dye made from this tree.

5. U.S. History.,  a Confederate soldier or partisan, especially one whose uniform was dyed with an extract from this tree.

6. souari nut.

butternut

/ ˈbʌtəˌnʌt /

noun

1. a walnut tree, Juglans cinerea of E North America Compare black walnut

2. the oily edible egg-shaped nut of this tree

3. the hard brownish-grey wood of this tree

4. the bark of this tree or an extract from it, formerly used as a laxative

5. a brownish colour or dye

6. short for butternut pumpkin

Word History and Origins

Origin of butternut¹

An Americanism dating back to 1735–45; so called from the nut's oiliness

Example Sentences

For a more autumnal spin, I tuck in about ½ cup of cubed, softened butternut squash, a sprinkle of brown sugar, cubes of manchego, and a few torn sage leaves.

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“I remember going to one party with a lot of CEOs and big, big, big business guys and, the hostess was serving a butternut squash soup,” Stewart recounted.

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The pasta starts with béchamel sauce that’s stirred in with sweet butternut squash purée and a “rich, nutty, and tangy blend of Gouda, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses,” according to TJ’s.

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All the other types get double names, like butternut squash or acorn squash, but not the yellow kind with the bulbous bodies and thin curving necks.

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You have your leading ladies, your butternut squash, carrots and then you have the character actor that you can't look away from.

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