macadamia

[ mak-uh-dey-mee-uh ]

/ ˌmæk əˈdeɪ mi ə /

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noun

any Australian tree of the genus Macadamia, especially M. ternifolia, having whorled leaves and elongated clusters of pink flowers.

Also called macadamia nut . the edible, hard-shelled seed of this tree.

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Also called Queensland nut.

Origin of macadamia

1900–05; <New Latin, named after John Macadam (died 1865), Australian chemist; see -ia

Words nearby macadamia

Mabuse, mac, macabre, macaco, macadam, macadamia, macadamize, Macanese, Macao, Macapá, Macapagal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use macadamia in a sentence

Rachael Hartley, a dietitian from Columbia, South Carolina, likes to blend walnuts with maple syrup, macadamia nuts with coconut flakes, and pecans with pumpkin-pie spice.
How to Make Nut Butter at Home|Becky Wade|June 9, 2021|Outside Online
He kills his own son in cold blood (or in a vat of hot macadamia butter, to be specific).
American Dreams, 1993: The Road to Wellville by T. Coraghessan Boyle|Nathaniel Rich|October 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If the sight of a macadamia nut paralyzes you, for example, you can opt to remove all recipes with the offending food.
QOOQ: A Tablet for the Messy Cook|Katie Baker|December 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Let your dad indulge his sweet tooth with white chocolate and macadamia nut brownies.
A Treat for Father’s Day|Lydia Brownlow|June 19, 2011|DAILY BEAST

This variety of the Queensland nut has leaves and fruit larger than those of Macadamia ternifolia.
Fruits of the Hawaiian Islands|Gerrit Parmile Wilder

British Dictionary definitions for macadamia

macadamia

/ (ˌmækəˈdeɪmɪə) /

noun

any tree of the Australian proteaceous genus Macadamia, esp M. ternifolia, having clusters of small white flowers and edible nutlike seeds

macadamia nut the seed of this tree

Word Origin for macadamia

C19: New Latin, named after John Macadam (1827–1865), Australian chemist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012