cashew
UK[ˈkæʃuː]US[ˈkæʃuː]
n
A small, curved, edible nut from a tropical American tree.
n
The tropical American tree that produces this nut.
Etymology
The word 'cashew' entered English in the late 16th century, a direct borrowing from Portuguese colonial traders. Its ultimate source is the Tupi word 'acajú', used by the indigenous peoples of Brazil to name the tree and its fruit. The Portuguese adapted it to 'caju', and English further anglicized the spelling and pronunciation to 'cashew'. This journey from Tupi to English, with no meaningful morphemes within English itself, exemplifies the transmission of New World flora names into European languages following the Columbian Exchange.
Analysis
The word 'cashew' is a loanword from Portuguese 'caju', which itself was borrowed from Tupi (an indigenous language of Brazil) 'acajú', meaning the nut or the tree.
Examples
She sprinkled chopped cashews over the stir-fry for added crunch.
The cashew tree is native to northeastern Brazil.
Cashew nuts are often sold roasted and salted as a snack.