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

If acorn or seeds fall into low supply, for instance, squirrels appear primed to find other sources of protein and nutrients. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024

Yet, despite the formidable task, Benson continues to put in the work and even helps run a volunteer program almost every other Saturday that helps locals give back to the ecosystem in their backyard by collecting acorns, planting them and caring for the oak saplings. —Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024

The federal government is to the states as a giant oak is to acorns. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 1 Nov. 2024

There are no edges of agricultural fields to target, and there might not even be stands of oaks dropping acorns. —Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 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