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water chestnut

 - 2 dictionary results

water chestnut

–noun
1. any aquatic plant of the genus Trapa, bearing an edible, nutlike fruit, esp. T. natans, of the Old World.
2. the fruit itself.
Also called water caltrop.


Origin:
1850–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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water chestnut  
n.  
  1. A floating aquatic plant (Trapa natans) native to Eurasia and Africa, bearing four-pronged nutlike fruit and grown as a pond or aquarium ornamental. Also called caltrop, water caltrop.

    1. A tropical Asian aquatic sedge (Eleocharis dulcis) having an edible corm and cylindrical leaves.

    2. The succulent corm of this plant, used in Asian cooking. Also called Chinese water chestnut.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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