peanut

[pee-nuht, -nuh t]

noun

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.
the plant itself.
any small or insignificant person or thing.

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

of or relating to the peanut or peanuts.
made with or from peanuts.
Informal. small, insignificant, or petty.

Origin of peanut

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800; pea¹ + nut

Related formspea·nut·ty, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for peanuts

groundnut, earth, seed, goober, mani

Examples from the Web for peanuts

Contemporary Examples of peanuts

But as Garfield on television gained in popularity, the Peanuts connection became a source of friction.
Garfield Television: The Cat Who Saved Primetime Cartoons
Rich Goldstein
November 5, 2014
Thanks in part to his efforts, peanuts became a vital crop, and a thriving industry.
Growth Stocks
The Daily Beast
October 17, 2014
Charles Schulz has this really dark streak that comes out in Peanuts… Lynn Johnston talks about dealing with depression.
Aaron McGruder’s ‘The Boondocks’ Returns Without Aaron McGruder
Rich Goldstein
April 21, 2014
The requirement for you to submit to confinement is reinforced by accepting the first bag of peanuts.
The New Fear of Flying After MH370
Clive Irving
March 31, 2014
They queued at roadside snack stands for rations of peanuts, a holiday tradition.
North Korea Lavishly Celebrates Kim Il Sung's Birthday
David Frum
April 16, 2013

Historical Examples of peanuts

He used to give her peanuts when he was in short jackets, and she used to halve her candies with him.
The Incomplete Amorist
E. Nesbit
How many bushels of potatoes, corn, beans, peas and peanuts have we raised this year?
The Negro Farmer
Carl Kelsey
We got Christmas Holidays an' a stockin' full of candy an' peanuts.
Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States
Various
Here's a chance,' I says, 'to establish a new world's record for peanuts.'
From Place to Place
Irvin S. Cobb
Steve devoured the last of his apple and started on the peanuts.
Left End Edwards
Ralph Henry Barbour

British Dictionary definitions for peanuts

peanuts

noun

slang a trifling amount of money

peanut

noun

1. a leguminous plant, Arachis hypogaea, of tropical America: widely cultivated for its edible seeds. The seed pods are forced underground where they ripenSee also hog peanut
2. Also called: goober, goober pea, (Brit) groundnut, (Brit) monkey nutthe edible nutlike seed of this plant, used for food and as a source of oil
See also peanuts

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

Word Origin and History for peanuts

peanut

1807, earlier ground nut, ground pea (1769). The plant is native to S.America. Portuguese traders took peanuts from Brazil and Peru to Africa by 1502 and it is known to have been cultivated in Chekiang Province in China by 1573, probably arriving with Portuguese sailors who made stops in Brazil en route to the Orient. Peanut butter attested by 1892; peanut brittle is from 1894. Peanut gallery "topmost rows of a theater" is from 1874, American English; peanuts "trivial sum" is from 1934.

peanuts in Culture

“Peanuts”

A popular comic strip drawn by Charles M. Schulz. The world of Peanuts is populated by pint-sized versions of adults: perennial optimist and born loser Charlie Brown; bossy, loud-mouthed Lucy; gentle Linus with his security blanket; Schroeder, the brooding piano player; and many others.

Note

Perhaps the most popular character is the beagle Snoopy, Charlie Brown's dog, who is often accompanied by his feathered friend, Woodstock.