pignut

American  

[pig-nuht] / ˈpɪgˌnʌt /

noun

1. the nut of the brown hickory, Carya glabra, of North America.

2. the tree itself.

3. the tuber of a European plant, Conopodium denudatum.

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pignut British  

/ ˈpɪɡˌnʌt /

noun

1. Also called: hognut. 

   1. the bitter nut of any of several North American hickory trees, esp Carya glabra ( brown hickory )

   2. any of the trees bearing such a nut

2. another name for earthnut

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Etymology

Origin of pignut

First recorded in 1600–10; pig ¹ + nut

Example Sentences

Dr. Deb recalled one industrious suitor in the lab who, with no pignut available, gnawed his way through a sheet of tissue paper and stuffed his noggin through the gap.

From New York Times • Dec. 15, 2020

In summer, neighborhoods flutter with honey locust, silver linden, sugar maple, red oak, white ash and pignut hickory, all ready to ignite in fall with incendiary color.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2020

By recreating the glades which once existed in dense forest cover, they provide home for up to 120 flowering species, among them the devil's-bit scabious, globeflower, great burnet, lady's-mantle, oxeye daisy, pignut and wood crane's-bill.

From The Guardian • Dec. 13, 2012

Munching another pignut, he scanned the clearing for firewood.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

But he’d only just swallowed the pignut when his belly heaved, and he spewed it up again.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver