walnut
gb/wˈɔlnˌʌt/ us/wˈɔlnˌʌt/
A2
English
~ 9500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
edible nut from a walnut tree
A big brown nut with a hard shell and a soft inside that people eat or use in food like cakes and salads.
Usage pattern:
eat/use/add [walnuts] in/with [food]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'walnut' with 'peanut' or use 'peanut' as a general word for all nuts. They may also say 'walnut nut' instead of just 'walnut'. Another mistake is using the singular when a plural is needed, e.g., saying 'I like walnut' instead of 'I like walnuts' when referring to them as a food in general.
Synonyms
nut (More general; refers to any edible seed like almonds or hazelnuts, not specifically to walnuts.)
|
tree nut (Technical in food/allergy contexts; emphasizes that the nut grows on a tree, not underground like peanuts.)
Antonyms
meat (Contrasts a plant-based protein snack with animal flesh as a protein source.)
Collocations
chopped walnuts
|shelled walnuts
|walnut halves
|walnut cake
|walnut brownie
|walnut salad
Themes
food
|cooking
|daily life
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She sprinkled chopped walnuts over the oatmeal for extra crunch.
- The recipe calls for one cup of toasted walnuts.
- Because of his tree nut allergy, he has to avoid walnuts.
- We bought a bag of shelled walnuts to bake cookies.
- The cheese plate was served with grapes, walnuts, and honey.
Learner examples
- I like to eat walnuts as a snack.
- She puts walnuts in the cake.
- He cannot eat walnuts because he is allergic.
- We bought some walnuts at the market.
- There are a few walnuts on the table.
Noun
B1
entity
2
tree that produces walnuts
A big tree that grows walnuts and has strong dark wood.
Usage pattern:
a/the [walnut tree] grows/stands [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners often do not realize that 'walnut' can also mean the tree, not just the nut. They may always say 'walnut tree' even when native speakers might just say 'a huge walnut'. This is not wrong, just less natural in some contexts.
Synonyms
walnut tree (More explicit compound form; makes it clear that it is the tree, not the nut or the wood.)
Antonyms
shrub (Contrasts a large, tall tree with a much smaller woody plant.)
Collocations
walnut tree
|black walnut
|English walnut
|walnut grove
|walnut orchard
|walnut leaves
Themes
nature
|plants
|environment
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A huge walnut stands in the middle of their backyard.
- The old walnut tree provides shade for the whole garden.
- They planted several walnuts along the edge of the field.
- Squirrels were running up and down the walnut, hiding nuts in the branches.
- This region is known for its ancient walnut groves.
Learner examples
- There is a big walnut tree in front of the house.
- Birds like to sit in the walnut tree.
- They planted a young walnut in the garden.
- The walnut grows near the river.
- We rested under the walnut tree on a hot day.
Noun
B2
entity
3
dark hardwood from a walnut tree
The strong dark brown wood from a walnut tree, used to make things like tables and chairs.
Usage pattern:
[something] is/made of/in [walnut]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'walnut' only means the nut and do not recognize it as a type of wood. They may say 'wood of walnut tree' instead of the natural phrase 'walnut wood' or simply 'walnut'. They may also confuse the material with the color name and say 'walnut color' when the context clearly refers to the actual wood.
Synonyms
hardwood (More general; refers to many types of dense wood, not specifically walnut.)
|
walnut wood (More explicit compound form emphasizing that this is the wood, not the nut or the tree.)
Antonyms
softwood (Refers to lighter woods like pine, which are generally softer and cheaper than walnut.)
Collocations
walnut wood
|walnut furniture
|solid walnut
|walnut veneer
|walnut finish
|walnut cabinets
Themes
materials
|home
|design
|housing
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The dining table is made of solid walnut.
- They chose dark walnut for the kitchen cabinets.
- The floor is a mix of oak and walnut to create contrast.
- He prefers walnut furniture because of its rich color and grain.
- The guitar has a maple neck and a walnut body.
Learner examples
- We bought a walnut table for the living room.
- The doors are made of walnut.
- She likes dark walnut furniture.
- This chair is not plastic; it is walnut.
- They put in a new walnut floor.
Grammar
Dictionary form
walnut
IPA
GB/wˈɔlnˌʌt/
US/wˈɔlnˌʌt/
Syllables & stress
wal - nut (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (wal)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: walnut
- Plural: walnut, walnuts
Word family
Forms
walnuts
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.