candlenut

noun

can·​dle·​nut ˈkan-dᵊl-ˌnət How to pronounce candlenut (audio)
: the oily seed of a tropical tree (Aleurites moluccana) of the spurge family used locally to make candles and commercially as a source of oil
also : this tree

Examples of candlenut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The broth warms your whole body with a blend of spices including cloves, galangal, candlenut and cinnamon. The Indianapolis Star, 25 Jan. 2024 The sick patient had eaten candlenuts, but the symptoms were unexpected. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023 Even if a product is pure candlenut, the experts said, consuming it in excess can upset the stomach. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023 Doctors in Texas published a case report of another young patient who was hospitalized and later experienced serious cardiovascular symptoms after eating candlenuts for weight loss. Madison Muller, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023 Lee is obsessive about his mum’s curry, painstakingly chopping, pounding and grinding lemongrass, shallots, galangal, garlic and candlenuts. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023 The grains are slick with Indonesian sweet soy sauce, and mostly flavored with garlic and the earthy, nutty taste of candlenut, which Wnahyu uses as the base for many of her dishes. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2023 Mixing sweet and salty flavors, the dish is made from long grain rice flavored with a spice blend called bumbu (with shrimp paste, ginger, candlenut and other ingredients) and the sweet Indonesian soy sauce called kecap manis. Terry Ward, CNN, 4 May 2023 On New Caledonia, beetle grubs burrow into the logs of decaying candlenut trees, but these trees were only introduced to the island by prehistoric humans. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2010

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of candlenut was circa 1836

Dictionary Entries Near candlenut

Cite this Entry

“Candlenut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/candlenut. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on candlenut

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!