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

This likely originates from the resemblance of some glands to small nuts or acorns. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025

The same holds true for the seeds of other varieties of squash, including acorn and butternut. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2025

The collection also include acorn and leaf motifs, such as in a pair of drop earrings or a toi et moi ring featuring pearls in different hues. —Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2025

Scapin’s mortadella uses the meat of local, free-range pigs, some of which feed on acorns and forest berries. —Marcia Desanctis, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2025

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