almond

Meanings

Noun

• A type of tree nut.
• A small deciduous tree in family Rosaceae, Prunus dulcis, that produces predominantly sweet almonds.
• Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:
• The colour of the kernel of an almond without its shell and thin seed coat, a creamy off-white colour.
• The color of an almond still covered by its skin, a shade of brown.
• Flavor or other characteristics of almond.
• Anything shaped like an almond; specifically, a tonsil.

Adjective

• Brownish, resembling the colour of an almond nut.

Origin

• From Middle English almond, almaund, from Old French almande, amande, from Vulgar Latin *amendla, *amandula, from Latin amygdala, from Ancient Greek ἀμυγδάλη, of uncertain origin. Influenced by amandus and by many French and Spanish words of Arabic origin that began with the Arabic definite article al-.