Noix
/nwa/noun
A French word meaning “nut,” especially a walnut.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin nux, a nut-word preserved in scientific terms such as nucleus, whose original sense was the kernel or inner seed.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂nókts
“Nut; a hard-shelled seed or fruit”
Classical Latin
Latin
nux
“Nut, especially a walnut”
Late Latin
Latin
nucem
“Accusative form of nux, meaning “a nut””
Old French
Old French
noiz / nois
“Nut or walnut”
Middle French
French
noix
“Nut; the spelling developed with x marking historical inflectional and plural patterns”
Modern French
French
noix
“Nut, commonly walnut; also used in culinary and anatomical expressions”