piñon

noun

pi·​ñon ˈpin-ˌyōn How to pronounce piñon (audio)
-ˌyän,
-yən;
pin-ˈyōn
variants or pinyon
plural piñons or pinyons or piñones pin-ˈyō-nēz How to pronounce piñon (audio)
: any of various small pines (such as Pinus quadrifolia, P. cembroides, P. edulis, and P. monophylla) of western North America with edible seeds
also : the edible seed of a piñon

Examples of piñon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Stargazing here engages all the senses: Listen for hoots and howls from the owls and coyotes that call the park home and take in the scents of pinon pines and juniper on summer nights. Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 25 June 2024 However, elk also thrive in lower-elevation landscapes, especially in the West, where prairie grasses provide year-round sustenance and dense pockets of cedar and pinon give elk enough cover. Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 22 Feb. 2024 The listing requires that state and federal agencies manage threats to the daisy and its primary domain high on Conglomerate Mesa, a 22,500-acre chunk of pinon pines, rock spires and limestone located about 10 miles southeast of Lone Pine, a town in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2023 In addition to new safety advances, and new technology such as independent rear suspension, rack and pinon steering and larger brakes, the car features some universal parts that are single sourced. Greg Engle, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 There are open areas of prairie-like landscape, big hills covered with pinon and cedar trees and deep canyons. Jace Bauserman, Outdoor Life, 23 Dec. 2020 New Mexico Glorieta Mesa: An effort to trim the density of pinon and juniper trees near Canoncito is drawing criticism from some residents. USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2020 Dine Nez was a shepherd on the high mesa of the reservation near Jones Ranch, where rolling hills of pinon, ponderosa, juniper and oak are divided by lush meadows and deep canyons. Betty Reid, azcentral, 29 Aug. 2019 These also qualify as tree nuts: almonds, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, chestnuts, beechnuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts, pine nuts (pinon or pignoli) and gingko nuts. Sonja Haller, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish piñón, from Spanish, pine nut, from piña pine cone, from Latin pinea — more at pineal

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of piñon was in 1831

Dictionary Entries Near piñon

Cite this Entry

“Piñon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pi%C3%B1on. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

piñon

noun
pi·​ñon
variants or pinyon
ˈpin-ˌyōn How to pronounce piñon (audio) -ˌyän How to pronounce piñon (audio)
-yən;
pin-ˈyōn
plural piñons or pinyons or piñones pin-ˈyō-nēz How to pronounce piñon (audio)
: any of various small pines of western North America with edible seeds
also : the edible seed of a piñon
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