pea·nut
ˈpē-(ˌ)nət 
plural peanuts
1
: a low-branching widely cultivated annual herb (Arachis hypogaea) of the legume family with showy yellow flowers having a peduncle which elongates and bends into the soil where the ovary ripens into a pod containing one to three oily edible seeds
also
: its seed or seed-containing pod
2
: an insignificant or tiny person
3
peanuts plural
: a trifling amount
4
: a pellet made of a low-density lightweight material (such as polystyrene foam or corn starch) that is used especially as packing material
—usually plural
It's all part of the company's mission to be more sustainable. When your paint shows up at your door, you won't find it loaded with polystyrene peanuts.—
Nicole Conway
Nicole ConwayIn the 1800s the acorns were used for packing (like Styrofoam peanuts) and ships would dump them overboard and they'd wash up on shore.—Rich Eldred
Rich EldredWhenever you get plants in the mail, or other fragile things, they come packed with these foam peanuts.—Peter Hotton
Peter HottonThe bill would also ban the sale of polystyrene loose fill packaging, or packing peanuts.—Samantha Maldonado
Samantha Maldonado
: insignificant, petty
peanut politics
Examples of peanut in a Sentence
Noun
Five billion dollars is peanuts compared to what the government spends each year.
He works all day for peanuts.
Adjective
this is a peanut matter, and we're fools for wasting time on it
Recent Examples on the Web
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine major food allergens in the U.S. are eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, Crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts and peanuts.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Products from these states range widely, from casks for alcohol brewing to tobacco and tobacco products, peanuts, frozen and fresh orange juice, food oils, motorcycles, dishwashers, clothing, footwear, furniture, and carpets.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
No peanuts were harmed in the making of this breakfast.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for peanut
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Noun
The red, white and blue bunting decorating ballparks, the echoing crack of a bat, bags of peanuts cartwheeling from vendor’s hands, pastoral fields of emerald green.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine major food allergens in the U.S. are eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, Crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts and peanuts.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Products from these states range widely, from casks for alcohol brewing to tobacco and tobacco products, peanuts, frozen and fresh orange juice, food oils, motorcycles, dishwashers, clothing, footwear, furniture, and carpets.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
No peanuts were harmed in the making of this breakfast.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for peanut
Cite this Entry
“Peanut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peanut. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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