buckeye

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See also: Buckeye

English[edit]

Aesculus hippocastanum fruit.
Junonia coenia butterfly

Etymology[edit]

The name stems from Native Americans, who called the nut "hetuck," which means "buck eye" (because the markings on the nut resemble the eye of a deer).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈbʌkaɪ/
  • (file)

Noun[edit]

buckeye (countable and uncountable, plural buckeyes)

  1. Any of several species of trees of the genus Aesculus.
    1. Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut).
  2. Any of several species of the related Mexican buckeye (genus Ungnadia).
  3. Seed or fruit of these plants.
    • 1973, Toni Morrison, Sula, Chatto & Windus (1993), page 155:
      Now there were long periods when he heard nothing except the wind in the trees and the plop of buckeyes on the earth.
  4. (US, slang) A native or resident of the American state of Ohio.
    Synonym: Ohioan
  5. Any of species Junonia coenia of butterflies; a common buckeye.
  6. (US) A confection made from peanut butter fudge partially dipped in chocolate to leave a circle of peanut butter visible, supposed to resemble the nut of the Ohio buckeye tree.

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