horse chestnut

noun

1. a tree, Aesculus hippocastanum, native to the Old World, having digitate leaves and upright clusters of white flowers.
2. the shiny, brown, nutlike seed of this tree or of other trees of the genus Aesculus.

horse chestnut

noun

1. any of several trees of the genus Aesculus, esp the Eurasian A. hippocastanum, having palmate leaves, erect clusters of white, pink, or red flowers, and brown shiny inedible nuts enclosed in a spiky bur: family Hippocastanaceae
2. Also calledconker the nut of this tree

Word History and Origins

Origin of horse chestnut¹

1590–1600; translation of New Latin castanea equīna; so named from its use in treating respiratory diseases of horses

Word History and Origins

Origin of horse chestnut¹

C16: so called from its having been used in the treatment of respiratory disease in horses

Example Sentences

Mr Jakins, a conker competitor since 1977, denied using a steel horse chestnut at any point in the tournament, and said he kept a steel conker on him for "humour value".

From BBC

There were fears before the event that there could be a shortage of conkers due to high winds blowing horse chestnut seeds from trees earlier in the autumn.

From BBC

Organisers of the World Conker Championships in Southwick in Northamptonshire say there are enough horse chestnut seeds for this year's tournament.

From BBC

Speaking near the area she was found, now overgrown with brambles, nettles and horse chestnut trees, detective Franc Dannerolle says the teenager’s body was “disposed of like garbage”.

From BBC

A mature horse chestnut, it is festooned with glorious blooms every spring, and after a few weeks sheds hundreds of partially grown, supernumerary conkers, encased in spiky green coverings.

From Seattle Times