almond
Use Almond in a sentence
mənd, ˈæm| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
1250–1300; Middle English almande < Old French (dial.) alemande, probably by transposition of -la < Late Latin amandula, with assimilative replacement of the unfamiliar cluster and adaptation to a known suffix, representing Latin amygdala < Greek amygdálē; replacing Old English amigdal < Latin
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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almond (ˈɑːmənd) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a small widely cultivated rosaceous tree, Prunus amygdalus, that is native to W Asia and has pink flowers and a green fruit containing an edible nutlike seed |
| 2. | the oval-shaped nutlike edible seed of this plant, which has a yellowish-brown shell |
| 3. | (modifier) made of or containing almonds: almond cake Related: amygdaline, amygdaloid |
| 4. | a. a pale yellowish-brown colour |
| b. (as adjective): almond wallpaper | |
| 5. | Also called: almond green |
| a. yellowish-green colour | |
| b. (as adjective): an almond skirt | |
| 6. | anything shaped like an almond nut |
| Related: amygdaline, amygdaloid | |
| [C13: from Old French almande, from Medieval Latin amandula, from Latin amygdala, from Greek amugdalē] | |
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almond
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Almond definition
a native of Syria and Palestine. In form, blossoms, and fruit it resembles the peach tree. Its blossoms are of a very pale pink colour, and appear before its leaves. Its Hebrew name, _shaked_, signifying "wakeful, hastening," is given to it on account of its putting forth its blossoms so early, generally in February, and sometimes even in January. In Eccl. 12:5, it is referred to as illustrative, probably, of the haste with which old age comes. There are others, however, who still contend for the old interpretation here. "The almond tree bears its blossoms in the midst of winter, on a naked, leafless stem, and these blossoms (reddish or flesh-coloured in the beginning) seem at the time of their fall exactly like white snow-flakes. In this way the almond blossom is a very fitting symbol of old age, with its silvery hair and its wintry, dry, barren, unfruitful condition." In Jer. 1:11 "I see a rod of an almond tree [shaked]...for I will hasten [shaked] my word to perform it" the word is used as an emblem of promptitude. Jacob desired his sons (Gen. 43:11) to take with them into Egypt of the best fruits of the land, almonds, etc., as a present to Joseph, probably because this tree was not a native of Egypt. Aaron's rod yielded almonds (Num. 17:8; Heb. 9:4). Moses was directed to make certain parts of the candlestick for the ark of carved work "like unto almonds" (Ex. 25:33, 34). The Hebrew word _luz_, translated "hazel" in the Authorized Version (Gen. 30:37), is rendered in the Revised Version "almond." It is probable that _luz_ denotes the wild almond, while _shaked_ denotes the cultivated variety.
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