pecan
UK[pɪˈkæn]US[pɪˈkɑːn]
n
A type of smooth, brown nut with an edible kernel, from a tree of the hickory family.
n
The North American tree that produces this nut.
Etymology
The word 'pecan' entered English in the 18th century via French ('pacane'), which itself borrowed it from an Algonquian source. The ultimate origin is the Illinois word 'pakani', meaning a nut that requires a stone to crack. This term was adopted by Spanish and French colonists in North America before being assimilated into English. Its journey from a specific indigenous term to the standard English name for the nut illustrates the direct borrowing of New World flora vocabulary.
Analysis
The word 'pecan' is a simplex loanword. It originates from an Algonquian language family word, likely from the Illinois (Miami-Illinois) word 'pakani', referring to the nut.
Examples
The pie was topped with a generous layer of chopped pecans.
She spread some pecan butter on her toast for breakfast.
A mature pecan tree can produce nuts for over a hundred years.