noun
nut
nuht
noun
1
A hard-shelled seed or dry fruit, often edible.
"She sprinkled chopped nuts over the salad."
2
A small piece of hardware with a threaded hole, used with a bolt to fasten things together.
"He tightened the nut on the bicycle wheel with a wrench."
3
Informal: a crazy or eccentric person, or an enthusiast for a particular subject.
"His uncle is a bit of a nut, but harmless."
"She's a real fitness nut."
verb
1
Slang: to headbutt someone.
"He nutted the other player during the argument and was sent off."
How to Use Nut
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hard-shelled edible seed, a threaded metal fastener, or slang for someone eccentric or obsessed with something.
When to use it
The "crazy person" and "headbutt" senses are informal; avoid them in formal writing.
Common pairings
nuts and bolts
fitness nut
a tough nut to crack
Word Forms
nutted past tense, nut past tense, nuts plural, nuts singular
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Etymology
From Old English hnutu, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "nut", possibly related to Latin nux.