almond

[ah-muh nd, am-uh nd; spelling pronunciation al-muh nd] /ˈɑ mənd, ˈæm ənd; spelling pronunciation ˈæl mənd/
noun
1.
the nutlike kernel of the fruit of either of two trees, Prunus dulcis (sweet almond) or P. dulcis amara (bitter almond) which grow in warm temperate regions.
2.
the tree itself.
3.
a delicate, pale tan.
4.
anything shaped like an almond, especially an ornament.
adjective
5.
of the color, taste, or shape of an almond.
6.
made or flavored with almonds:
almond cookies.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English almande < Old French (dial.) alemande, probably by transposition of -la < Late Latin amandula, with assimilative replacement of the unfamiliar cluster and adaptation to a known suffix, representing Latin amygdala < Greek amygdálē; replacing Old English amigdal < Latin
Related forms
almondlike, almondy, adjective
Examples from the web for almond
  • He focused on the amygdala, a small, almond-shaped area in the middle of the brain known to help process emotions.
  • The lovely almond trees stood about it in perpetual leaf.
  • In humans, it is about the size of an almond, housing a motley collection of neurons.
  • Getting into the field is always fun when you're reporting, especially if the field is full of blossoming almond trees.
  • They are mildly crunchy, with a woody flavour and notes of almond, or potato.
  • almond supplies are normally short of demand, keeping prices up quite high.
  • He looked straight ahead, his almond-shaped face inscrutable beneath a peaked yellow-silk cap.
  • The monkeys live in an area with almond, mango, and other exotic fruit trees.
  • For a nuclear physicist to include a stroll through an almond grove as part of his research may seem a bit peculiar.
  • It's so much bigger than the mouse brain, which is kind of an almond-size thing.
British Dictionary definitions for almond

almond

/ˈɑːmənd/
noun
1.
a small widely cultivated rosaceous tree, Prunus amygdalus, that is native to W Asia and has pink flowers and a green fruit containing an edible nutlike seed
2.
the oval-shaped nutlike edible seed of this plant, which has a yellowish-brown shell
3.
(modifier) made of or containing almonds: almond cake, related adjectives amygdaline amygdaloid
4.
  1. a pale yellowish-brown colour
  2. (as adjective): almond wallpaper
5.
Also called almond green
  1. yellowish-green colour
  2. (as adjective): an almond skirt
6.
anything shaped like an almond nut
Word Origin
C13: from Old French almande, from Medieval Latin amandula, from Latin amygdala, from Greek amugdalē
Word Origin and History for almond
n.

c.1300, from Old French almande, amande, from Vulgar Latin *amendla, *amandula, from Latin amygdala (plural), from Greek amygdalos "an almond tree," of unknown origin, perhaps a Semitic word. Altered in Medieval Latin by influence of amandus "loveable," and acquiring in French an excrescent -l- perhaps from Spanish almendra "almond," which got it via confusion with the Arabic definite article al-, which formed the beginnings of many Spanish words. Applied to eyes shaped like almonds, especially of certain Asiatic peoples, from 1870.

almond in the Bible

a native of Syria and Palestine. In form, blossoms, and fruit it resembles the peach tree. Its blossoms are of a very pale pink colour, and appear before its leaves. Its Hebrew name, _shaked_, signifying "wakeful, hastening," is given to it on account of its putting forth its blossoms so early, generally in February, and sometimes even in January. In Eccl. 12:5, it is referred to as illustrative, probably, of the haste with which old age comes. There are others, however, who still contend for the old interpretation here. "The almond tree bears its blossoms in the midst of winter, on a naked, leafless stem, and these blossoms (reddish or flesh-coloured in the beginning) seem at the time of their fall exactly like white snow-flakes. In this way the almond blossom is a very fitting symbol of old age, with its silvery hair and its wintry, dry, barren, unfruitful condition." In Jer. 1:11 "I see a rod of an almond tree [shaked]...for I will hasten [shaked] my word to perform it" the word is used as an emblem of promptitude. Jacob desired his sons (Gen. 43:11) to take with them into Egypt of the best fruits of the land, almonds, etc., as a present to Joseph, probably because this tree was not a native of Egypt. Aaron's rod yielded almonds (Num. 17:8; Heb. 9:4). Moses was directed to make certain parts of the candlestick for the ark of carved work "like unto almonds" (Ex. 25:33, 34). The Hebrew word _luz_, translated "hazel" in the Authorized Version (Gen. 30:37), is rendered in the Revised Version "almond." It is probable that _luz_ denotes the wild almond, while _shaked_ denotes the cultivated variety.