pistachio

American  

[pi-stash-ee-oh, -stah-shee-oh] / pɪˈstæʃ iˌoʊ, -ˈstɑ ʃiˌoʊ /

Also pistache

noun

• pistachios
  plural

1. the nut of a Eurasian tree, Pistacia vera, of the cashew family, containing an edible, greenish kernel.

2. the kernel itself, used for flavoring.

3. the tree itself.

4. pistachio nut flavor.

5. pistachio green.

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pistachio British  

/ pɪˈstɑːʃɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. an anacardiaceous tree, Pistacia vera, of the Mediterranean region and W Asia, with small hard-shelled nuts

2. Also called: pistachio nut.  the nut of this tree, having an edible green kernel

3. the sweet flavour of the pistachio nut, used esp in ice creams

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adjective

1. of a yellowish-green colour

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pistachios
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pistachio

1375–1425; < Italian pistacchio < Latin pistācium < Greek pistákion pistachio nut, diminutive of pistákē pistachio tree < Middle Persian *pistak ( Persian pista ); replacing late Middle English pistace < Middle French < Latin, as above

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pistachio pistachios

She said it’s unfair that her family is charged the same pumping fees as the owners of giant almond and pistachio orchards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Aquifer levels have continued to drop as corporate farms and investors have planted vast almond and pistachio orchards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

David Sanchez, a 48-year-old painter and decorator, had just returned home to Cebreros after evacuating at the weekend to find that his small olive and pistachio grove had been consumed by the inferno.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

To make the creamy pistachio-tahini paste, combine ¼ cup of pistachio butter with a quarter-teaspoon of tahini.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

With practice, one soon discovers that even the most profound ideas can be packed neatly inside the shell of a pistachio, with room to spare.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

A onetime California oil boomtown about 60 miles southwest of Fresno, Avenal has spent decades off the beaten track, known more for its pistachios and sprawling state prison than for political upheaval.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Despite arable land making up just three percent of the territory, it is one of Argentina's main producers of olive oil, grapes, tomatoes and pistachios.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

Much of the water released from the dam goes to irrigate crops including almonds, pistachios, oranges, grapes and tomatoes.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

Of course, the nut itself has been cultivated for thousands of years in Persia, modern day Iran, where pistachios are still the country’s number one commodity crop.

From Salon ● May 6, 2026

Sometimes she writes responses for them: And do you remember when we ate pistachios, when we ate those lemon ices shaped like flowers?

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr