What does "almond" mean?
The seed within the drupe of a small deciduous tree in family Rosaceae, Prunus amygdalus, considered a culinary nut.
Almond
/ˈɑː.mənd/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The seed within the drupe of a small deciduous tree in family Rosaceae, Prunus amygdalus, considered a culinary nut.
- Grammar: almond is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: prunus dulcis, almond derivative, almond paste, almond product.
- Useful contrasts: black, circular, cobnut.
- Usage evidence: I read about almond paste containing carcinogens.
How to use "almond"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "almond" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "almond" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "almond" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "almond" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "almond" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "prunus dulcis" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The seed within the drupe of a small deciduous tree in family Rosaceae, Prunus amygdalus, considered a culinary nut. countable
- 2 oval-shaped edible seed of the almond tree wordnet
- 3 The tree that produces almonds. countable
"In early March the almonds are in flower, delicately pink, and there are washes of bright daffodils beneath the orchard trees; you can see women gathering them for market."
- 4 small bushy deciduous tree native to Asia and North Africa having pretty pink blossoms and highly prized edible nuts enclosed in a hard green hull; cultivated in southern Australia and California wordnet
- 5 Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:; bitter almond. of variety Prunus amygdalus var. amara, (syn. Prunus dulcis var. amara), that only produces bitter fruits countable, uncountable
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:; Prunus japonica, flowering almond, an ornamental shrub in family Rosaceae countable, uncountable
- 7 Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:; Prunus andersonii, desert almond, a North American shrub in family Rosaceae countable, uncountable
- 8 Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:; Prunus fasciculata, desert range almond or wild almond, North American shrub in family Rosaceae countable, uncountable
- 9 Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:; Terminalia catappa, Indian almond or tropical almond, in family Combretaceae countable, uncountable
- 10 Other plants that produce almond-like nuts:; Brabejum stellatifolium or bitter almond, in family Proteaceae countable, uncountable
- 11 The colour of the kernel of an almond without its shell and thin seed coat, a creamy off-white colour. uncountable
- 12 The colour of an almond still covered by its skin, a shade of brown. uncountable
- 13 Flavour or other characteristics of almond. uncountable
"I can't eat it if it has too much almond in it."
- 14 Anything shaped like an almond; specifically, (anatomy, archaic) a tonsil. countable, uncountable
"The next set are shorter, and are more contracted or acuminated at their posterior end, where they are contiguous to the almonds or tonsils."
Adjective
- 1 Brownish, resembling the colour of an almond nut.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
"Marc Almond (born 1957), English musician"
- 2 A town in Allegany County, New York, United States.
- 3 A river in North Lanarkshire council area, West Lothian council area and Edinburgh council area, Scotland, which empties into the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh.
- 4 A village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States.
- 5 A river in Perth and Kinross council area, Scotland, which joins the River Tay.
Synonyms
All synonyms prunus dulcisalmond derivativealmond pastealmond productalmond seedalmond tree
Example
"I read about almond paste containing carcinogens."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "almond"?
Common synonyms include: prunus dulcis, almond derivative, almond paste, almond product, almond seed, almond tree.
How do you use "almond" in a sentence?
I read about almond paste containing carcinogens.
How do you pronounce "almond"?
Pronounced /ˈɑː.mənd/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English almond, almaund, from Old French almande, amande, from Vulgar Latin *amendla, *amandula, from Latin amygdala, from Ancient Greek ἀμυγδάλη (amugdálē), of uncertain origin. Influenced by amandus and by many European words of Arabic origin beginning with the Arabic definite article Arabic ال (al-). Compare Spanish almóndiga and Portuguese almôndega (“meatball”) from Andalusian Arabic البُنْدُقَة (“hazelnut al-bunduqa”). Doublet of amygdala, amygdale, and mandorla.
Etymology 2
* From the Middle English given name Almund, from the coalescence of Old English Æthelmund (literally “noble protector”) and Ealhmund (literally “temple protector”). * Variant of Allman (from Old French aleman (“German”) or alemayne (“from Germany”)) and Allmand (from Old French alemaund (“German”)), assimilated after almond by folk etymology.
Etymology 3
According to John Reynolds, a historian of the town in New York, it was named for a place in Scotland, not the almond, which would most likely not have been available there then, hence the pronunciation is different. A native of it, James F. Moore, was the first postmaster of the village in Wisconsin.
Etymology 4
Altered after almond from earlier Ammon, from Scottish Gaelic Àmain, from Proto-Brythonic *aβon (“river”). Doublet of Avon.