acorn

noun

ˈā-ˌkȯrn  -kərn 

: the nut of the oak usually seated in or surrounded by a hard woody cupule of indurated bracts

Illustration of acorn

Examples of acorn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Luckily insects and rodents like acorns too and prevent many from growing. —Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 30 Nov. 2024

On another hunt, a buck hits several obscure native species, and completely ignores the crop fields, falling acorns, and other high-profile foods that deer hunters are supposed to focus on during the fall. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 12 Sep. 2024

City parks and other urban green spaces offer ideal foraging grounds for them with an abundance of lush grass, insects and acorns—all nutrient-rich fare that fuels their growing numbers. —Anne Readel, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Nov. 2024

To Boardman, the chance to donate acorns or otherwise help out is a no brainer. —Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English akorn, akkorn (partially assimilated to corn "kernel, corn entry 1"), hakerne, accherne, accharne, going back to Old English æcern, going back to Germanic *akrana- (whence also Middle High German ackeran "tree nuts," Old Norse akarn, Gothic akran "fruit, produce"); akin to Old Irish írne "sloe, kernel," Welsh eirin "plums, sloes," aeron "fruits, berries," going back to Celtic *agrinyo-, *agranyo-; perhaps further akin to a Balto-Slavic word with an initial long vowel (Old Church Slavic agoda "fruit," Polish jagoda "berry," Lithuanian úoga)

Note: Taken to be a derivative of Indo-European *h₂eǵros "uncultivated field, pasture" (see acre), though this would seem to exclude the Balto-Slavic etymon, which lacks the suffix, from consideration. It is also not clear if fields, uncultivated or not, are the source of wild tree nuts.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing acorn

• acorn squash
• acorn woodpecker
• acorn worm

Kids Definition

acorn

noun

ˈā-ˌkȯrn  -kərn 

: the roundish one-seeded thin-shelled nut of an oak tree usually having a woody cap