nut

1 of 2

noun

ˈnət How to pronounce nut (audio)
plural nuts
Synonyms of nutnext
1
a
botany : any hard-shelled dry fruit (such as an acorn, hazelnut, or chestnut) with a woody pericarp
b(1)
: a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed (such as a hazelnut, walnut, or peanut) with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel see also tree nut
(2)
: the kernel of a nut
2
a
: a hard problem or undertaking
—used especially in phrases like a tough/hard/difficult nut to crack
Country radio is a notoriously tough nut to crack: … the journey to the top can be arduous—only to maybe taste a week or two at the summit.—Dan Rys
b
: core, heart
3
: a perforated block usually of metal that has an internal screw thread and is used on a bolt or screw for tightening or holding something
4
: the ridge in a stringed instrument (such as a violin) over which the strings pass on the upper end of the fingerboard
5
: a small lump (as of butter)
6
a
: a foolish or eccentric person
With all her on-set antics (which I loved), it would be easy to discount Cloris [Leachman] as a bit of a nut.—Nellie Andreeva
also, sometimes offensive : someone who is not mentally sound
b
: enthusiast
a movie nut
7
nuts ˈnəts How to pronounce nut (audio) plural : nonsense
—often used interjectionally
8
slang : a person's head
9
informal + impolite : testis
10
: the amount of money that must be earned in order to break even
11
: en sense 1
nutlike
ˈnət-ˌlīk How to pronounce nut (audio)
adjective

nut

2 of 2

verb

nutted; nutting

intransitive verb

: to gather or seek nuts

Synonyms of nut

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of nut in a Sentence

Noun The squirrel cracked the nut and ate the meat inside. walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and other nuts The squirrel sat and ate the nut. Are you allergic to nuts? a bowl of nuts and raisins That guy is a real nut. She's a real baseball nut.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In addition, the pommel nut was modified to fit mass production. — David Szondy august 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026 White suggests nuts, popcorn, bite-size desserts, cheese boards, or, of course, nostalgic candy. — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026 Decoys ranged from something big like an unsecured load, to easy-to-overlook details like a crack in the passenger side frame, a wiper blade missing, or a loose lug nut. — Alice Barlow, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 This is an uncomplicated yarn about a man prying open his heart and nudging other hard nuts to do the same. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nut

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English nute, note, from Old English hnutu; akin to Old High German nuz nut and perhaps to Latin nux nut

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b(1)

Verb

circa 1670, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nut was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing nut

Rhymes for nut

See All Rhymes for nut

Browse Nearby Words

Nüsslein-Volhard
nut
nutant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nut. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nut

noun
ˈnət
1
a
: a hard-shelled dry fruit (as a peanut in the shell) or seed (as a Brazil nut) with an inner kernel
also : this kernel
b
: a dry one-seeded fruit (as an acorn, hazelnut, or chestnut) that has a woody outer layer and does not break open when it is ripe
2
: a block of metal with a hole in it that is fastened to a bolt or screw by means of a screw thread within the hole
3
: the ridge on the upper end of the fingerboard of a stringed instrument over which the strings pass
4
a
: a foolish or odd person
b
: enthusiast
a movie nut
Etymology

Noun

Old English hnutu "nut"

More from Merriam-Webster on nut

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nut

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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