释义 |
nut·meg I. \ˈnətˌmeg, -māg\ noun (-s) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English notemuge, part translation, part modification of Old French nois muguete, nois muguede nutmeg, alteration of nois muscade, from Old Provençal noz muscada, from noz nut (from Latin nuc-, nux) + muscada, feminine of muscat musky — more at nut, muscat 1. a. : a hard aromatic spheroidal seed that is widely used as a spice — see mace III b. or nutmeg tree : a small evergreen tropical tree (Myristica fragrans) native to the Molucca islands but widely cultivated for its spherical yellow drupaceous fruits which yield mace and nutmeg 2. : any of various trees related to or in some respect resembling the nutmeg: as a. : any of several trees of the genus Myristica having seeds that resemble but are generally inferior to the true nutmegs b. : a Central and So. American banak (Virola koschuii) yielding a timber used for veneer and plywood c. : california nutmeg d. : nutmeg hickory e. : a western African tree (Pycnanthus kombo) of the family Myristicaceae with a somewhat aromatic arillode and seed which is of importance primarily as a source of oil 3. : dark beaver II. noun or nut·meg·ger \-gə(r)\ (-s) Usage: capitalized Etymology: nutmeg short for wooden nutmeg; from the notion that wooden or imitation nutmegs came from Connecticut and were examples of Yankee inventiveness; nutmegger from Nutmeg State, nickname of the state of Connecticut (from the phrase wooden nutmeg state) + English -er : a native or resident of Connecticut — used as a nickname |