macadamia
Americannoun
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any Australian tree of the genus Macadamia, especially M. ternifolia, having whorled leaves and elongated clusters of pink flowers.
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Also called macadamia nut. the edible, hard-shelled seed of this tree.
noun
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any tree of the Australian proteaceous genus Macadamia , esp M. ternifolia, having clusters of small white flowers and edible nutlike seeds
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the seed of this tree
Etymology
Origin of macadamia
1900–05; < New Latin, named after John Macadam (died 1865), Australian chemist; see -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He pointed to coffee, tea, macadamia nuts and avocados as agricultural products that could benefit under the new policy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 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
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
Dark Chocolate-Covered Macadamia Nuts For a sweet-and-salty indulgence that feels more luxe than lazy, reach for dark chocolate-covered macadamia nuts.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
