1
: a large hickory (Carya illinoinensis synonym C. illinoensis) that has roughish bark and hard but brittle wood and is widely grown in the warmer parts of the U.S. and in Mexico for its edible nut
2
: the wood of the pecan tree
The hardwood floor was made of pecan.
3
: the smooth oblong thin-shelled nut of the pecan tree
bought some pecans to make a pie

Examples of pecan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Build your own frozen yogurt creation from flavors like chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan, cake batter and golden vanilla. Alexandra Maloney, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2024 Anita's daughter, Tonya Council, remembers that even sitting in front of the TV at night, her grandmother would shell pecans for the next day's pies. Kathleen Purvis, Southern Living, 8 May 2024 Note: To toast pecans at home, preheat the oven to 325°F. Fox News, 3 May 2024 Desserts include cream puffs, eclairs, petit fours, tiramisu, a strawberry trifle martini, and apple or pecan pie. Journal Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2024 Which, according to the company's patent, can include legumes, grain pods, walnut shells, rice, semolina, oatmeal, and pecan shells. Jaina Grey, WIRED, 25 Apr. 2024 In this cake, the nutty browned butter frosting is the perfect match for the butter pecan cake layers. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2024 In September 2017, my family’s pecan farm in Georgia was hit by Hurricane Irma. Lydia Millet, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024 Among the most popular signature ice cream flavors are the Chocolate Devotion, Oreo Overload, Strawberry Blonde and Founder’s Favorite, a combination of sweet cream, caramel, fudge, pecans and brownies. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pecan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

American French pacane, from Illinois pakani

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pecan was in 1761

Dictionary Entries Near pecan

Cite this Entry

“Pecan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pecan. Accessed 16 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

pecan

noun
pe·​can pi-ˈkän How to pronounce pecan (audio) -ˈkan How to pronounce pecan (audio)
: an oblong edible nut that usually has a thin shell and is the fruit of a tall tree of the central and southern U.S.
also : this tree which is one of the hickories

More from Merriam-Webster on pecan

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