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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• peanutty
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of peanut

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

Explanation

A peanut is a plant that grows pods containing seeds that are also known as peanuts. You may think of peanuts as nuts, but they're actually legumes. Despite the deceptive name peanut, this plant is more closely related to peas than it is to almonds and hazelnuts. Peanuts are an important food crop around the world, in the form of oil, flour, peanut butter, and roasted, whole peanuts. Peanuts were originally called "ground nuts," and despite their popularity, they're also known for being inexpensive — thus peanuts also informally means "a very small amount of money."

Example Sentences

It will not change your weight on a bathroom scale or alter how manufacturers measure ingredients like peanut butter for a 16-ounce jar.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

The exposition popularized a host of snack foods that would become staples of American life, including ice-cream cones, peanut butter, hot dogs, hamburgers and cotton candy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

Today, they meet at Emily Lawrence’s home, where she has prepared peanut butter cookies and an elaborate cheese board for the occasion.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

Spoon it into a bowl, swirl in jam or honey, maybe a little peanut butter or melted chocolate, and a pinch of salt.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

“I would have paired the peanut butter with the crackers, but okay.”

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Related Words

• groundnut