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nutmegmore about nutmeg

nutmeg

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Nutmeg  \Nut"meg\,  n.  [OE.  notemuge  note  nut  +  OF  muge  musk,  of 
  the  same  origin  as  E.  musk;  cf  OF  noix  muguette  nutmeg,  F. 
  noix  muscade.  See  {Nut},  and  {Musk}.]  (Bot.) 
  The  kernel  of  the  fruit  of  the  nutmeg  tree  ({Myristica 
  fragrans}),  a  native  of  the  Molucca  Islands,  but  cultivated 
  elsewhere  in  the  tropics. 
 
  Note:  This  fruit  is  a  nearly  spherical  drupe,  of  the  size  of 
  a  pear,  of  a  yellowish  color  without  and  almost  white 
  within.  This  opens  into  two  nearly  equal  longitudinal 
  valves,  inclosing  the  nut  surrounded  by  its  aril,  which 
  is  mace  The  nutmeg  is  an  aromatic,  very  grateful  to  the 
  taste  and  smell,  and  much  used  in  cookery.  Other 
  species  of  {Myristica}  yield  nutmegs  of  inferior 
  quality. 
 
  {American},  {Calabash},  or  {Jamaica},  {nutmeg},  the  fruit  of 
  a  tropical  shrub  ({Monodora  Myristica}).  It  is  about  the 
  size  of  an  orange,  and  contains  many  aromatic  seeds 
  imbedded  in  pulp. 
 
  {Brazilian  nutmeg},  the  fruit  of  a  lauraceous  tree, 
  {Cryptocarya  moschata}. 
 
  {California  nutmeg},  tree  of  the  Yew  family  ({Torreya 
  Californica}),  growing  in  the  Western  United  States,  and 
  having  a  seed  which  resembles  a  nutmeg  in  appearance,  but 
  is  strongly  impregnated  with  turpentine. 
 
  {Clove  nutmeg},  the  {Ravensara  aromatica},  a  laura  ceous  tree 
  of  Madagascar.  The  foliage  is  used  as  a  spice,  but  the 
  seed  is  acrid  and  caustic. 
 
  {Jamaica  nutmeg}.  See  American  nutmeg  (above). 
 
  {Nutmeg  bird}  (Zo["o]l.),  an  Indian  finch  ({Munia 
  punctularia}). 
 
  {Nutmeg  butter},  a  solid  oil  extracted  from  the  nutmeg  by 
  expression. 
 
  {Nutmeg  flower}  (Bot.),  a  ranunculaceous  herb  ({Nigella 
  sativa})  with  small  black  aromatic  seeds,  which  are  used 
  medicinally  and  for  excluding  moths  from  furs  and 
  clothing. 
 
  {Nutmeg  liver}  (Med.),  a  name  applied  to  the  liver,  when  as 
  the  result  of  heart  or  lung  disease,  it  undergoes 
  congestion  and  pigmentation  about  the  central  veins  of  its 
  lobules,  giving  it  an  appearance  resembling  that  of  a 
  nutmeg. 
 
  {Nutmeg  melon}  (Bot.),  a  small  variety  of  muskmelon  of  a  rich 
  flavor. 
 
  {Nutmeg  pigeon}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  one  of  several  species  of 
  pigeons  of  the  genus  {Myristicivora},  native  of  the  East 
  Indies  and  Australia.  The  color  is  usually  white,  or 
  cream-white,  with  black  on  the  wings  and  tail. 
 
  {Nutmeg  wood}  (Bot.),  the  wood  of  the  Palmyra  palm. 
 
  {Peruvian  nutmeg},  the  aromatic  seed  of  a  South  American  tree 
  ({Laurelia  sempervirens}). 
 
  {Plume  nutmeg}  (Bot.),  a  spicy  tree  of  Australia 
  ({Atherosperma  moschata}). 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  nutmeg 
  n  1:  East  Indian  tree  widely  cultivated  in  the  tropics  for  its 
  aromatic  seed;  source  of  two  spices:  nutmeg  and  mace 
  [syn:  {nutmeg  tree},  {Myristica  fragrans}] 
  2:  hard  aromatic  seed  of  the  nutmeg  tree  used  as  spice  when 
  grated  or  ground




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