Nutmeg definition

Nutmeg





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2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Nutmeg \Nut"meg\, n. [OE. notemuge; note nut + OF. muge musk, of
     the same origin as E. musk; cf. OF. noix muguette nutmeg, F.
     noix muscade. See {Nut}, and {Musk}.] (Bot.)
     The kernel of the fruit of the nutmeg tree ({Myristica
     fragrans}), a native of the Molucca Islands, but cultivated
     elsewhere in the tropics.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This fruit is a nearly spherical drupe, of the size of
           a pear, of a yellowish color without and almost white
           within. This opens into two nearly equal longitudinal
           valves, inclosing the nut surrounded by its aril, which
           is mace. The nutmeg is an aromatic, very grateful to
           the taste and smell, and much used in cookery. Other
           species of {Myristica} yield nutmegs of inferior
           quality.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {American nutmeg}, {Calabash nutmeg}, or {Jamaica nutmeg},
        the fruit of a tropical shrub ({Monodora Myristica}). It
        is about the size of an orange, and contains many aromatic
        seeds imbedded in pulp.
  
     {Brazilian nutmeg}, the fruit of a lauraceous tree,
        {Cryptocarya moschata}.
  
     {California nutmeg}, a tree of the Yew family ({Torreya
        Californica}), growing in the Western United States, and
        having a seed which resembles a nutmeg in appearance, but
        is strongly impregnated with turpentine.
  
     {Clove nutmeg}, the {Ravensara aromatica}, a lauraceous tree
        of Madagascar. The foliage is used as a spice, but the
        seed is acrid and caustic.
  
     {Jamaica nutmeg}. See American nutmeg (above).
  
     {Nutmeg bird} (Zool.), an Indian finch ({Munia punctularia}).
        
  
     {Nutmeg butter}, a solid oil extracted from the nutmeg by
        expression.
  
     {Nutmeg flower} (Bot.), a ranunculaceous herb ({Nigella
        sativa}) with small black aromatic seeds, which are used
        medicinally and for excluding moths from furs and
        clothing.
  
     {Nutmeg liver} (Med.), a name applied to the liver, when, as
        the result of heart or lung disease, it undergoes
        congestion and pigmentation about the central veins of its
        lobules, giving it an appearance resembling that of a
        nutmeg.
  
     {Nutmeg melon} (Bot.), a small variety of muskmelon of a rich
        flavor.
  
     {Nutmeg pigeon} (Zool.), any one of several species of
        pigeons of the genus {Myristicivora}, native of the East
        Indies and Australia. The color is usually white, or
        cream-white, with black on the wings and tail.
  
     {Nutmeg wood} (Bot.), the wood of the Palmyra palm.
  
     {Peruvian nutmeg}, the aromatic seed of a South American tree
        ({Laurelia sempervirens}).
  
     {Plume nutmeg} (Bot.), a spicy tree of Australia
        ({Atherosperma moschata}).
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  nutmeg
       n 1: East Indian tree widely cultivated in the tropics for its
            aromatic seed; source of two spices: nutmeg and mace
            [syn: {nutmeg tree}, {Myristica fragrans}]
       2: hard aromatic seed of the nutmeg tree used as spice when
          grated or ground

















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