chest·nut
ˈches(t)-(ˌ)nət
plural chestnuts
1
a
: any of a small genus (Castanea) of deciduous trees or shrubs of the beech family that are found in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and produce a small round fruit having a prickly outer husk and containing one to seven edible nuts
especially
: a North American tree (C. dentata) that was formerly a dominant or codominant member of many deciduous forests of the eastern U.S. but was largely eliminated by chestnut blight in the 20th century and seldom grows beyond the shrub or sapling stage : american chestnut
b
: the nut of a chestnut
c
: the wood of a chestnut
2
: a grayish to reddish brown
3
4
: a chestnut-colored animal
specifically
: a horse having a body color of any shade of pure or reddish brown with mane, tail, and points of the same or a lighter shade compare bay entry 2 sense 1, sorrel entry 1 sense 1
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 (such as a musical piece or a saying) repeated to the point of staleness
1
: of the color chestnut
2
: of, relating to, or resembling a chestnut
Cite this Entry
“Chestnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chestnut. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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