# nutmeg

Pronunciation: US say "NUT-meg" /ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/; UK

## Noun

1. The dried seed of the nutmeg tree in ground form, ready for use as a spice.
   - Simple: Ground spice made from the dried seed of an evergreen tree, ready to use in cooking.
   - _The stew gained warmth from a spoonful of nutmeg stirred in at the end._
   - _Bakers often reach for nutmeg when a custard tastes flat._
2. The whole, unground aromatic seed of the nutmeg tree, kept intact and grated fresh as a spice.
   - Simple: A single hard seed used whole as a spice, often grated when you need it.
   - _She keeps a few nutmegs in a small grinder by the stove._
   - _Grate the nutmeg sparingly, since its flavor is strong._
3. Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree of the East Indies grown for its aromatic seeds, which are used as a spice.
   - Simple: An evergreen tree grown in warm regions for its spicy seeds.
   - _Dutch traders once fought for control of the islands where nutmeg grows._
   - _The nutmeg flowers and fruits through much of the year in tropical climates._
4. The act of playing the ball between an opponent's legs and collecting it behind them, especially in soccer.
   - Simple: In sports, the trick of pushing the ball between an opponent's legs.
   - _His audacious nutmeg became the highlight of the match._
   - _Defenders dread the nutmeg more than any other piece of trickery._
7. A gray-brown color resembling that of the nutmeg spice.
   - Simple: A grayish-brown color, similar to ground nutmeg.
   - _The designer chose nutmeg for the curtains to warm the room._
   - _Autumn catalogs featured coats in deep nutmeg and rust._
8. A small moth (Hadula trifolii) native to the Northern Hemisphere, with larvae that feed on a wide range of plants.
   - Simple: A small moth of the Northern Hemisphere whose caterpillars feed on plants.
   - _Several nutmegs were drawn to the moth trap overnight._
   - _The nutmeg overwinters as a pupa buried in the soil._

## Verb

5. To play the ball through the gap between an opponent's legs and recover it on the far side.
   - Simple: To get the ball past an opponent by knocking it between their legs.
   - _The winger nutmegged two defenders in a single dazzling run._
   - _Skillful players love to nutmeg opponents who lunge in too eagerly._
6. To season or flavor food or drink with nutmeg.
   - Simple: To add nutmeg to food or drink to give it flavor.
   - _The chef nutmegged the cream sauce just before plating._
   - _Many bakers nutmeg their dough to give it a warm note._

## Origin

From Middle English notemege or notemuge, a partial translation of the Medieval Latin nux muga, a variant of nux muscata ("musky nut"). Compare Old French nois mugede.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/nutmeg (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).