nutty

American  

[nuht-ee] / ˈnʌt i /

adjective

nuttier, nuttiest

1. abounding in or producing nuts.

2. nutlike, especially in flavor.

3. Slang.

   1. silly or ridiculous.

      a nutty suggestion.

   2. eccentric; queer.

   3. insane.

   4. very or excessively interested, excited, or the like.

      He's nutty about Mexican food.

4. full of flavor or zest; lively; stimulating; meaty.

   He offered several rich, nutty ideas on the subject.

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nutty British  

/ ˈnʌtɪ /

adjective

1. containing or abounding in nuts

2. resembling nuts, esp in taste

3. a slang word for insane

4. informal extremely fond (of) or enthusiastic (about)

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Other Word Forms

• nuttily adverb
• nuttiness noun

Etymology

Origin of nutty

First recorded in 1655–65; nut + -y ¹

Example Sentences

“Things have reached such a nutty point where Caterpillar’s power and energy business has overtaken everything else the manufacturer does in terms of sales growth across all divisions,” the economist wrote.

From Barron's

Let me slide two identical batches of granola across the breakfast nook toward you—a cheeky little mix that smells like maple syrup, toasted almonds, and nutty puffed rice.

From Salon

And speaking of nutty, a handful of toasted pine nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, or even chopped chestnuts never goes amiss.

From Salon

When you whisk that nutty, toffee-adjacent warmth into the mix, especially alongside fruit and a streak of citrus zest, the entire batter exhales.

From Salon

Competitive pressures have caused automakers to embrace ever larger and nuttier grille designs, in order to convey brand recognition farther down the road.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• absurd
• batty
• crazy
• eccentric
• foolish
• kooky
• mad
• nuts
• wacky