macadamia

[mak-uh-dey-mee-uh]

noun

any Australian tree of the genus Macadamia, especially M. ternifolia, having whorled leaves and elongated clusters of pink flowers.

Also called macadamia nut. the edible, hard-shelled seed of this tree.

Origin of macadamia

1900–05; < New Latin, named after John Macadam (died 1865), Australian chemist; see -ia

Also called Queensland nut.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for macadamia

Contemporary Examples of macadamia

If the sight of a macadamia nut paralyzes you, for example, you can opt to remove all recipes with the offending food.
QOOQ: A Tablet for the Messy Cook
Katie Baker
December 23, 2012
Let your dad indulge his sweet tooth with white chocolate and macadamia nut brownies.
A Treat for Father’s Day
Lydia Brownlow
June 19, 2011

Historical Examples of macadamia

This variety of the Queensland nut has leaves and fruit larger than those of Macadamia ternifolia.
Fruits of the Hawaiian Islands
Gerrit Parmile Wilder

British Dictionary definitions for macadamia

macadamia

noun

any tree of the Australian proteaceous genus Macadamia, esp M. ternifolia, having clusters of small white flowers and edible nutlike seeds

macadamia nut the seed of this tree

Word Origin for macadamia

C19: New Latin, named after John Macadam (1827–1865), Australian chemist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for macadamia

Australian evergreen tree, 1904, from Modern Latin (1858), named for Scotland-born chemist Dr. John Macadam (1827-1865), secretary of the Victoria Philosophical Institute, Australia.