German word

Nuss

Pronunciation

IPA/nʊs/

Meaning

  • feminine nounnut

Example

Ich esse gern Nüsse.

I like eating nuts.

Illustration for Nuss (nut)

More examples

Die Aufgabe war eine echte Nuss.

The task was a real tough nut.

Core concept

A hard shell surrounds something valuable inside, whether a seed to crack open or a problem that takes effort to solve.

Common phrases

  • eine Nuss knacken

    crack a nut

  • an Nüssen knabbern

    nibble at nuts

  • harte Nuss

    tough nut

Similar words

Haselnuss: A small, round nut with a fragrant flavor, used alone or in chocolate.
Walnuss: A sizable hard-shelled nut whose kernel is used in dishes and desserts.
Mandel: An oily, oval seed commonly used in baked goods and savory dishes.
Erdnuss: A thin-shelled legume seed eaten roasted or processed into peanut butter.

Definition in German

Kleine, harte Samenfrucht mit einer schützenden Schale, die oft als Nahrungsmittel gegessen wird.

Word origin

Nuss continues Old High German nuzza and Middle High German nuo̧z, from the Proto-Germanic root *hnut-.

Usage tips

  • Nuss is feminine, so the singular is die Nuss and the plural is die Nüsse, with an umlaut changing both spelling and pronunciation.

Opposites

Related words

  • Nussschalenutshellnoun
  • Nussölnut oilnoun
  • nussignuttyadjective

Word lists with this word