First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1chestnut
noun chest·nut \ˈches(t)-(ˌ)nət\
: a type of tree that produces large, sweet nuts that can be eaten
: the nut of a chestnut tree
: the wood of a chestnut tree
Full Definition of CHESTNUT
1
a : any of a genus (Castanea) of trees or shrubs of the beech family; especially : an American tree (C. dentata) that was formerly a dominant or codominant member of many deciduous forests of the eastern United States but has now been largely eliminated by the chestnut blight and seldom grows beyond the shrub or sapling stage b : the edible nut of a chestnut c : the wood of a chestnut
2
: a grayish to reddish brown
3
4
5
: a callosity on the inner side of the leg of the horse — see horse illustration
6
a : an old joke or story b : something (as a musical piece or a saying) repeated to the point of staleness
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Origin of CHESTNUT
Middle English chasteine, chesten chestnut tree, from Anglo-French chastein, chestain, from Latin castanea, from Greek kastanea
Related to CHESTNUT
Rhymes with CHESTNUT
abut, all but, beechnut, blind gut, brush cut, buzz cut, catgut, clean-cut, clear-cut, cobnut, cockshut, crew cut, crosscut, doughnut, foregut, groundnut, haircut, jump cut, kick butt, locknut, Meerut, midgut, offcut, peanut, pignut, pine nut, putt-putt, rebut, recut, rotgut, rough cut, sackbut, shortcut, somewhat, tut-tut, uncut, walnut, wing nut, woodcut
2chestnut
adjective
: of a reddish-brown color
Full Definition of CHESTNUT
1
: of the color chestnut
2
: of, relating to, or resembling a chestnut
See chestnut defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CHESTNUT
1555
CHESTNUT Defined for Kids
chestnut
noun chest·nut \ˈches-ˌnət\
Definition of CHESTNUT for Kids
1
: a sweet edible nut that grows in burs on a tree related to the beech
2
: a reddish brown
Medical Dictionary
chestnut
noun chest·nut \ˈches-(ˌ)nət\
Medical Definition of CHESTNUT
1
a : a tree or shrub of the genus Castanea (C. dentata) that is found in eastern North America and the leaf of which was formerly used to prepare an infusion for the treatment of whooping cough b : the edible nut of a chestnut
2
: a callosity on the inner side of the leg of the horse
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