Groundnut
/ˈɡraʊnd.nʌt/noun
A plant whose edible seed or tuber develops underground, especially the peanut.
Did you know?In many traditions, underground-growing plants carried symbolic associations with fertility and the hidden forces of the earth, though the English word itself is simply descriptive.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*grunduz
“Ground, bottom, or foundation”
Old English
Old English
grund
“Ground, earth, foundation, or bottom”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kneu-
“A lump, knot, or compact rounded object—the ancient root associated with nut-like forms”
Old English
Old English
hnutu
“Nut; a hard-shelled fruit or seed”
Middle English
Middle English
ground nut
“A nut or edible underground growth associated with the earth”
18th Century
English
groundnut
“A common name for plants producing edible underground seeds, including the peanut”
Modern English
English
groundnut
“Especially the peanut, or other edible underground-growing plants and their seeds or tubers”