chestnut

Meanings

Noun

• A tree or shrub of the genus Castanea.
• A nut of this tree or shrub.
• A dark, reddish-brown colour, as seen on the fruit of the chestnut tree.
• A reddish-brown horse.
• The wood of a chestnut tree.
• An old joke; a worn-out meme, phrase, ploy, etc. so often repeated as to have grown tiresome or ineffective (often in the phrase "old chestnut").
• A round or oval horny plate found on the inner side of the leg of a horse or other animal, similar to a birthmark on a human.
• The horse-chestnut.

Adjective

• Of a deep reddish-brown colour, like that of a chestnut.

Origin

• Formerly chesten nut, from Middle English chesten, Middle English chesteyne, chasteine, from Old English ċisten and reinforced by Old French chastaigne, both from Latin castānea, from Ancient Greek καστάνεια. Compare castanet.