chestnut

[ches-nuht, -nuht]

noun

1. any of the several deciduous trees constituting the genus Castanea, of the beech family, having toothed, oblong leaves and bearing edible nuts enclosed in a prickly bur, and including C. dentata American chestnut, which has been virtually destroyed by the chestnut blight, C. sativa European chestnut, C. mollissima Chinese chestnut, and C. crenata Japanese chestnut.

2. the edible nut of such a tree.

3. the wood of any of these trees.

4. any fruit or tree resembling the chestnut, as the horse chestnut.

5. reddish brown.

6. an old or stale joke, anecdote, etc.

7. the callosity on the inner side of the leg of a horse.

8. a reddish-brown horse having the mane and tail of the same color.

9. Also called liver chestnut. a horse of a solid, dark-brown color.

adjective

1. being reddish-brown in color.

2. (of food) containing or made with chestnuts.

   turkey with chestnut stuffing.

chestnut

/ ˈtʃɛsˌnʌt /

noun

1. any N temperate fagaceous tree of the genus Castanea, such as C. sativa ( sweet or Spanish chestnut ), which produce flowers in long catkins and nuts in a prickly bur Compare horse chestnut water chestnut dwarf chestnut

2. the edible nut of any of these trees

3. the hard wood of any of these trees, used in making furniture, etc

4. 1. a reddish-brown to brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      chestnut hair

5. a horse of a yellow-brown or golden-brown colour

6. a small horny callus on the inner surface of a horse's leg

7. informal,  an old or stale joke

Other Word Forms

• chestnutty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chestnut¹

1350–1400; 1880–85 chestnut for def. 6; earlier chesten nut, Middle English chesten, Old English cysten chestnut tree (< Latin castanea < Greek kastanéa ) + nut

Word History and Origins

Origin of chestnut¹

C16: from earlier chesten nut: chesten, from Old French chastaigne, from Latin castanea, from Greek kastanea

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire, to rescue someone from a difficulty.

see old chestnut.

Example Sentences

Kwon, 30, handily won with a chestnut tiramisu whipped together from chestnuts, milk, coffee and a package of biscuits.

From Los Angeles Times

Danger, a chestnut quarter horse with a white blaze down his face and a deep copper coat, was born the same summer Hunter first wore an Auburn jersey.

From Los Angeles Times

How much longer would the world have black Spanish pigs, fed nothing but acorns and chestnuts?

From Los Angeles Times

There was the old chestnut of a botched restart reception; there were forced passes and hesitant defence.

From BBC

White and purple irises line the paths beneath ancient horse chestnuts in full flower.

From BBC

Related Words

• antic 
• farce 
• gag 
• humor 
• laugh 
• one-liner 
• parody 
• prank 
• pun 
• stunt 
• trick 
• wisecrack