macadamia

American  

[mak-uh-dey-mee-uh] / ˌmæk əˈdeɪ mi ə /

noun

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

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

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macadamia British  

/ ˌmækəˈdeɪmɪə /

noun

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

2. the seed of this tree

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Etymology

Origin of macadamia

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

macadamia

"Bees sustain native ecosystems and play a crucial role in agricultural crop production -- tropical native bees are vital pollinators for crops like macadamia nuts, avocados, mangos, and lychees."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026

"For Kenya, it will be a big boost to certain subsectors such as avocado. The agriculture sector will benefit the most - macadamia nuts, coffee, tea and leather."

From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026

Mainlanders have long shopped for vacation staples at the chain’s tropical warehouses, where the aloha shirts and macadamia nuts had them dreaming of what treasures lay abroad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

At the heart of that land sits a 2,716-square-foot residence, which is surrounded by more than 4,000 macadamia trees and offers panoramic views of the ocean from its perch on the Hamakua Coast.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2025

Even modern European plant geneticists have failed to develop any crop except macadamia nuts from Australia’s native wild flora.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond