chinquapin
chinquapin Lexical Profile
chinquapin Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American Any of several native North American trees or shrubs in the beech family (genus Castanea or Chrysolepis), closely related to the chestnut and characterized by spiny burs that contain sweet, edible nuts.
"The hikers gathered fallen nuts from the Allegheny chinquapin growing abundantly along the mountain trail."
North American The small, sweet, edible nut produced by the chinquapin tree.
"Roasting chinquapins by the fire was a cherished autumn tradition for the Appalachian family."
American A colloquial name used in the southern United States for the redear sunfish, a freshwater fish known for feeding on snails and small mollusks.
"The angler cast his line near the lily pads, hoping to catch a large chinquapin before sunset."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Powhatan word 'chechinquamin', an Algonquian language of Virginia. It was first recorded by English colonists in the early 17th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.