I. ˈnətˌmeg, -māg noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English notemuge, part translation, part modification of Old French nois muguete, nois muguede nutmeg, alteration of nois muscade, from Old Provençal noz muscada, from noz nut (from Latin nuc-, nux ) + muscada, feminine of muscat musky — more at nut , muscat
1.
a. : a hard aromatic spheroidal seed that is widely used as a spice — see mace III
b. or nutmeg tree : a small evergreen tropical tree ( Myristica fragrans ) native to the Molucca islands but widely cultivated for its spherical yellow drupaceous fruits which yield mace and nutmeg
2. : any of various trees related to or in some respect resembling the nutmeg: as
a. : any of several trees of the genus Myristica having seeds that resemble but are generally inferior to the true nutmegs
b. : a Central and So. American banak ( Virola koschuii ) yielding a timber used for veneer and plywood
c. : california nutmeg
d. : nutmeg hickory
e. : a western African tree ( Pycnanthus kombo ) of the family Myristicaceae with a somewhat aromatic arillode and seed which is of importance primarily as a source of oil
3. : dark beaver
II. noun
or nut·meg·ger -gə(r)
( -s )
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: nutmeg short for wooden nutmeg; from the notion that wooden or imitation nutmegs came from Connecticut and were examples of Yankee inventiveness; nutmegger from Nutmeg State, nickname of the state of Connecticut (from the phrase wooden nutmeg state ) + English -er
: a native or resident of Connecticut — used as a nickname