Definition

Noun: A tropical American evergreen tree (Anacardium occidentale) bearing kidney-shaped nuts that are edible only when roasted. It is cultivated for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.

Usage

The term "cashew tree" refers specifically to the tree itself, which is the source of cashew nuts. It is used in botanical, agricultural, and general descriptive contexts.

Examples

• The cashew tree is native to northeastern Brazil.
• They planted several cashew trees on their plantation.
• The cashew tree produces both a nut and a fleshy accessory fruit called a cashew apple.

Advanced Usage

• Cultivation Context: The term is often used when discussing horticulture, crop cultivation, or the origin of cashew products.
  • Successful cultivation of the cashew tree requires a warm, frost-free climate.

Variants and Related Words

• Cashew (noun): This is the common name for both the tree and, more frequently, the nut it produces.
  • We bought a bag of roasted cashews. (Here, "cashews" refers to the nuts, not the tree).
• Anacardium occidentale (noun): The formal botanical/scientific name for the cashew tree.

Synonyms

• Cashew (when referring to the tree species).

Notes on Meaning

It is important to distinguish between the "cashew tree" (the plant) and "cashew" (typically the edible seed/nut). The nut develops at the end of a swollen, pear-shaped stalk called the cashew apple. The raw nut contains urushiol, a toxic substance, which is why it is edible only after roasting or other heat processing.

Noun

1. tropical American evergreen tree bearing kidney-shaped nuts that are edible only when roasted