the hard, aromatic seed of the fruit of an East Indian tree, Myristica fragrans, used in grated form as a spice.
2.
the similar product of certain other trees of the same genus or other genera.
3.
a tree bearing such seeds.
Origin: 1300–50; ME notemug(g)e, perh. back formation from *notemugede (-ede being taken as -ed3), equiv. to notenut+ mugede < OF < LL muscāta musky; see musk, -ate1
Main Entry: nut·meg Pronunciation: 'n&t-"meg, -"mAg Function: noun 1: an aromatic seed that is used as a spice and is produced by a treeof the genus Myristica (M. fragrans of the family Myristicaceae, the nutmeg family) native to the Moluccas called also myristica 2: a tree that producesnutmegs
[nuht-meg] 
mɛg