Definition

Noun: 1. The nut of the Juglans regia tree: A nut with a thin, relatively smooth, two-lobed shell and a wrinkled seed (kernel) inside, widely cultivated and used in cooking and baking. 2. The tree itself (Juglans regia): A Eurasian walnut tree valued both for its large, edible nuts and for its high-quality, hard, and often figured wood, which is used in fine woodworking.

Usage Examples

• As the nut:
  • The recipe calls for one cup of chopped English walnut.
  • Compared to the black walnut, the English walnut is easier to crack open.
• As the tree:
  • The old English walnut in the yard provides shade and a yearly harvest of nuts.
  • The furniture was crafted from solid English walnut.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical/Commercial Context: The term "English walnut" is commonly used in North America to distinguish from native North American species like the black walnut (). In other parts of the world, it is often simply called the "walnut," "Persian walnut," or "common walnut."

Variants and Related Words

• Walnut (noun): The general term; often refers to the English walnut, especially in culinary contexts.
• (noun): The scientific (Latin) name for the species.
• Persian walnut (noun): Another common name for the same tree and nut, reflecting its historical origins.
• Carpathian walnut (noun): A type of English walnut known for its cold-hardiness.

Synonyms

• Walnut (when referring to the common cultivated type)
• Persian walnut

Notes on Meaning

• The term specifically refers to the most widely cultivated commercial species for nut production. Its primary meanings are the edible nut and the tree that produces it. The "English" in the name does not signify the tree's origin but rather its association with English merchants who facilitated its global trade.

Noun

1. nut with a wrinkled two-lobed seed and hard but relatively thin shell; widely used in cooking
2. Eurasian walnut valued for its large edible nut and its hard richly figured wood; widely cultivated