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nutmeg

American  
[nuht-meg] / ˈnʌt mɛg /

noun

  1. the hard, aromatic seed of the fruit of an East Indian tree, Myristica fragrans, used in grated form as a spice.

  2. the similar product of certain other trees of the same genus or other genera.

  3. a tree bearing such seeds.

nutmeg British  
/ ˈnʌtmɛɡ /

noun

  1. an East Indian evergreen tree, Myristica fragrans, cultivated in the tropics for its hard aromatic seed: family Myristicaceae See also mace 2

  2. the seed of this tree, used as a spice

  3. any of several similar trees or their fruit

  4. a greyish-brown colour

"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

verb

  1. informal sport to kick or hit the ball between the legs of (an opposing player)

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of nutmeg

1300–50; Middle English notemug ( g ) e, perhaps back formation from *notemugede ( -ede being taken as -ed 3 ), equivalent to note nut + mugede < Old French < Late Latin muscāta musky; see musk, -ate 1

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.

Nutmeg was once so valuable that, in 1667, the Dutch traded Manhattan for Pulau Rhun, a tiny isle in Indonesia where it was grown.

From New York Times • Feb. 11, 2024

Nutmeg comes from grinding seeds of the Myristica fragrans tree, an evergreen that's native to Indonesia.

From Salon • Dec. 11, 2023

Mr Hungerford co-founded the investment platform Nutmeg in 2011.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2023

Nutmeg, a small, tawny-colored mutt, yelped inside her kennel in South L.A. as volunteers approached.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2022

“I’ll take Nutmeg and your things,” Mom says.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

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.