pecan
Americannoun
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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.
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a nut of this tree.
noun
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a hickory tree, Carya pecan (or C. illinoensis ), of the southern US, having deeply furrowed bark and edible nuts
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the smooth oval nut of this tree, which has a sweet oily kernel
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pecan
1765–75, < Mississippi Valley French pacane < Illinois pakani < Proto-Algonquian *paka·n- nut (derivative of *pake·- crack nuts)
Explanation
A pecan is a tree that grows nuts also known as pecans. These hard-shelled nuts are similar to walnuts and used for sweet treats like praline candy and pecan pie. Pecan comes from an Algonquian word that means "nut that takes a stone to crack." It takes some work to break open a pecan, but it's well worth the effort. There are at least three "correct" ways to pronounce this word, so your best bet is to pick your favorite and stick with it. Pecan wood is used to make furniture and for smoking meats, and four U.S. states claim the pecan as their official state nut.
Vocabulary lists containing pecan
English Words Derived from Indigenous Languages of the Americas
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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.
See Examples For:
She bought Mr. Griffin and his family cars and trucks and attempted the fraudulent purchase of a $20 million pecan farm with no money to speak of.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
The treatment for Carey's walnut and pecan allergy cost £6,000, with a further £4,000 set aside for associated travel and hotel costs.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
Researchers analyzed 52 peer reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025, including human clinical trials examining the physiological effects of pecan consumption on cardiometabolic and other health related outcomes.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 22, 2026
Gone are the sweet potatoes, pecan pie and corn muffins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 22, 2025
I slung another chocolate pecan into my mouth and watched Big Rose sit by herself in the opposite corner of our study room.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
Carey can now eat seven walnuts or pecans without having an allergic reaction so treatment was "100% worth it", Scott said.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
A few handfuls of oats, pistachios or pecans, butter, maple syrup.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026
The review, "Pecans and Human Health: Distinctive Benefits of an American Nut," published in Nutrients, evaluated more than 20 years of research on pecans and health.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 22, 2026
Beyond specific health markers, pecans appear to be linked to better overall diet quality.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 22, 2026
The room smelled of pecans, must, and mouse.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
