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Synonyms

peanut

American  
[pee-nuht, -nuht] / ˈpiˌnʌt, -nət /

noun

  1. the pod or the enclosed edible seed of the plant, Arachis hypogaea, of the legume family: the pod is forced underground in growing, where it ripens.

  2. the plant itself.

  3. any small or insignificant person or thing.

  4. peanuts,

    1. Informal. a very small amount of money.

      working for peanuts.

    2. Slang. barbiturates.

    3. small pieces of Styrofoam used as a packing material.

adjective

  1. of or relating to the peanut or peanuts.

  2. made with or from peanuts.

  3. Informal. small, insignificant, or petty.

peanut British  
/ ˈpiːˌnʌt /

noun

  1. See also peanuts

    1. a leguminous plant, Arachis hypogaea, of tropical America: widely cultivated for its edible seeds. The seed pods are forced underground where they ripen See also hog peanut

    2. Also called: goober.   goober pea.   groundnut.   monkey nut.  the edible nutlike seed of this plant, used for food and as a source of oil

"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

  • peanutty adjective

Etymology

Origin of peanut

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800; pea 1 + nut

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.

You might have seen the caramelised biscuit Biscoff creme egg sitting alongside others in your local supermarket recently - a white chocolate version, Terry's chocolate orange, Lindt, Reese's peanut butter and more.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Trader Joe’s is also facing a legal challenge from Smuckers, which has filed a lawsuit accusing it of copying its trademark crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, The Times reported last year.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

The animals were captured using specially-designed traps filled with soft bedding and food, including oats, peanut butter, and Marmite -- which they find particularly delicious -- before being transferred to a footprint collection box.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

“I grow these peanuts,” said Baltz, who runs a 4,000-acre peanut, rice, soy and corn farm in Pocahontas, Ark.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

He set Ralph down in front of an opening in a cardboard wall and said, “When Brad fires his cap pistol, go for the peanut butter.”

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

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.