almond

IPA/ˈɑːmənd/
KK[ˈɑmənd]IPA/ˈɑːmənd/

almond — noun

  • almondsingular
  • almondsplural

1. a flat, oval, pale-coloured nut with a thin brown skin and a slightly sweet tast

1.nounA2
Definition

a flat, oval, pale-coloured nut with a thin brown skin and a slightly sweet taste, eaten as a snack or added to cakes, biscuits, and milk drinks; also the small tree, related to the peach, on which this nut grows.

Example

Nadia sprinkled chopped almonds over the warm porridge.

countable plural: chopped almonds

The recipe calls for ground almonds, butter, sugar, and two eggs.

collocation: ground almonds in baking

Common collocations
  • roasted almonds
  • ground almonds
  • flaked almonds
  • almond blossom
  • almond tree
Synonyms
  • nut

    general category word; 'almond' is one specific type of nut.

Grammar Patterns

almond + noun (e.g. almond milk, almond butter)

Usage Note

Frequently used as a modifier before another food noun: almond milk, almond butter, almond oil, almond flour. As a count noun, the plural 'almonds' refers to the nuts themselves; the singular often appears in baking phrases like 'a handful of almond' is incorrect — use 'almonds'.

Common Mistakes

I added a almond flour to the cake.
I added some almond flour to the cake.
'almond flour' is uncountable; do not use 'a/an' before it.
She ate one almonds for a snack.
She ate some almonds for a snack.
use 'an almond' for one nut, or 'some almonds' for several.

Word family

  • almond-shaped
    adjectiveB2
  • almondy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name edible tree nuts, but each refers to a different plant and has its own culinary role. An 'almond' is flat and oval with a mild, slightly sweet taste; it is widely used in baking, in milk substitutes, and as a snack. A 'walnut' has a wrinkled, brain-like shape, a richer and slightly bitter flavour, and is common in salads, breads, and desserts. A 'cashew' is curved like a small kidney, softer in texture, and creamy when blended; it features heavily in South and Southeast Asian cooking. A 'hazelnut' is round and crunchy with a strong, toasty flavour, often paired with chocolate. So you might say 'I added almonds to the granola', 'walnuts go well in this brownie', or 'the sauce is made with cashews'.

almond ↗walnut ↗cashewhazelnut

Common collocations

Nouns

  • almond milk
  • almond butter
  • almond oil
  • almond flour
  • almond paste
  • almond tree
  • almond blossom

Phrases

  • a handful of almonds
  • a packet of almonds
  • covered in almonds

Prepositions

  • with almonds
  • of almonds

Etymology

GreekLatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The English word came into Middle English as 'almaund' from Old French 'almande', which itself goes back through Late Latin 'amandula' to the Latin 'amygdala'. That Latin form was borrowed from Greek 'amygdale', the original Greek name for the nut and the tree. The 'l' at the start of 'almond' is not original — it was added later, probably under the influence of Spanish or Arabic words that began with 'al-'.