pecan

[ pi-kahn, -kan, pee-kan ]

/ pɪˈkɑn, -ˈkæn, ˈpi kæn /

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noun

a tall hickory tree, Carya illinoinensis, of the southern U.S. and Mexico, cultivated for its oval, smooth-shelled, edible nuts: the state tree of Texas.

a nut of this tree.

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Origin of pecan

1765–75, Americanism;<Mississippi Valley French pacane<Illinois pakani< Proto-Algonquian *paka·n- nut (derivative of *pake·- crack nuts)

Words nearby pecan

pebbling, pebbly, pebi-, pebrine, pec, pecan, pecan patty, peccable, peccadillo, peccant, peccary

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pecan in a sentence

Starbucks and Dunkin’ have both experimented with other “fall” flavors before, like maple pecan, brown sugar, and vanilla spice, to make sure they have something for those who can’t stand pumpkin spice.
This Fall, Chains Are Trying to Make Apple Stuff Happen|Jaya Saxena|August 24, 2021|Eater
Middle Georgia is mostly flat, hot, and full of pecan trees.
My Kids Navigated Our Road Trip—It Was an Adventure|thodgson|July 12, 2021|Outside Online
In the sack, Rose had placed a folded dress, three handfuls of pecans and a braid of her hair, and “told her” — Rose’s words recorded in red stitches on the bag by her descendant — “It be filled with my Love always.”
A humble cloth sack tells a story of enslavement and separation|Marjoleine Kars|July 9, 2021|Washington Post
Spread the pecans out on a small, rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, shaking midway through, until the nuts are deep golden brown and fragrant.
This carrot cake with brown butter-cream cheese frosting will keep you coming back for more|Olga Massov|April 1, 2021|Washington Post

I opted for plump golden raisins, with their sweet honey notes, and toasted pecans, very finely chopped.
This carrot cake with brown butter-cream cheese frosting will keep you coming back for more|Olga Massov|April 1, 2021|Washington Post
The rest of Perry, with its population of around 15,000, is ringed by churches, pecan groves, and cotton fields.
Nunn-Perdue: The Devil Went Down to Perry, Georgia|Patricia Murphy|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
INSIDER TIP: Bring a collapsible sports chair and (try to) leave room for pecan pie and bread pudding.
Foodie Heaven in Houston|Michele Meyer|July 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Outside, oak and hickory and pecan trees dotted the rolling grassland.
The Death of a Rodeo Cowboy|Peter Richmond|May 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Girls weighed 90 pounds and barfed after eating a whole half-gallon of butter pecan ice cream.
P.J. O’Rourke on Grabbing the Keys to Happiness|P. J. O’Rourke|January 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He moves past the thick-trunked oak and pecan trees, headed for the city bus stop two blocks away.
The Man Oswald First Tried to Kill Before JFK|Bill Minutaglio, Steven L. Davis|October 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The spice-wood (laurus benzoin) and the pecan (carya olivformis) first occurred to-day.
Early Western Travels 1748-1846, Volume XVI|Various
Its flavor can not compare with that of the pecan, hickory, or black walnut.
Northern Nut Growers Association Thirty-Fourth Annual Report 1943|Various
This class of nuts is adopted to the north where the pecan is unsatisfactory.
Northern Nut Growers Association Thirty-Fourth Annual Report 1943|Various
The pecan nuts mother usually bought ready shelled so Betsey had only to measure them out with the other ingredients.
A Little Candy Book for a Little Girl|Amy L. Waterman
Taking some of the cream, she molded it into balls, pressed flat and put half a pecan on each side.
A Little Candy Book for a Little Girl|Amy L. Waterman

British Dictionary definitions for pecan

pecan

/ (pɪˈkæn, ˈpiːkən) /

noun

a hickory tree, Carya pecan (or C. illinoensis), of the southern US, having deeply furrowed bark and edible nuts

the smooth oval nut of this tree, which has a sweet oily kernel

Word Origin for pecan

C18: from Algonquian paccan; related to Ojibwa pagân nut with a hard shell, Cree pakan

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