🥜 An oily seed 🌳 A tropical tree

candlenut

9.3

An oily seed used for oil in varnish and sometimes for cooking

noun
/ˈkændlˌnʌt/

Australian

: nuez de la candela

The candlenut is often used in traditional dishes.

Examples

In some cultures, a whole candlenut was strung and burned like a candle.
The varnish was made more durable with oil extracted from the candlenut.
She roasted the candlenut before adding it to the traditional dish.
I bought some candlenuts at the market yesterday.
To make the sauce, you'll need to grind four candlenuts with the spices to create a rich flavor.
The local market sells candlenuts which can enhance both the taste and presentation of your dishes.
Many chefs use candlenuts in traditional recipes for their nutty taste and oil content.

Surface Forms

candlenut singular

candlenuts plural

Morphology

candlenut = candle + nut (transparent) = candle + nut

The meaning is directly built from 'candle' + 'nut': a nut associated with use as a candle or source of oil, which learners can infer from the components.

Etymology

Candlenut is literally candle + nut because people in Southeast Asia and the Pacific used the oily seed 'like a candle'. They burned the seed or pressed it for oil used in varnish, so the name helps you remember that the seed gives light or useful oil.