Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- the hard, aromatic seed of the fruit of an East Indian tree, Myristica fragrans, used in grated form as a spice.
- the similar product of certain other trees of the same genus or other genera.
- a tree bearing such seeds.
noun
- an East Indian evergreen tree, Myristica fragrans, cultivated in the tropics for its hard aromatic seed: family MyristicaceaeSee also mace 2
- the seed of this tree, used as a spice
- any of several similar trees or their fruit
- a greyish-brown colour
verb -megs, -megging or -megged (tr)
- British sport informal to kick or hit the ball between the legs of (an opposing player)
“hard aromatic seed of the East Indies,” c.1300, from Old North French or Anglo-French *noiz mugue, from Old French nois muguete, unexplained alteration of nois muscade “nut smelling like musk,” from nois “nut” (from Latin nux) + Latin muscada, fem. of muscat “musky” (see muscat). Probably influenced in English by Medieval Latin nux maga (cf. unaltered Dutch muskaatnoot, German muscatnuß, Swedish muskotnöt).
American English colloquial wooden nutmeg “anything false or fraudulent” is from 1830. Connecticut is called the Nutmeg State “in allusion to the story that wooden nutmegs are there manufactured for exportation.” [John Russell Bartlett, “Dictionary of Americanisms,” 1859]