pecan Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun wood of a pecan tree
  2. noun tree of southern United States and Mexico cultivated for its nuts
    Carya illinoensis; Carya illinoinsis; pecan tree.
  3. noun smooth brown oval nut of south central United States

WordNet

Pe*can" noun
Etymology
Cf. F. pacane the nut.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A species of hickory (Carya olivæformis), growing in North America, chiefly in the Mississippi valley and in Texas, where it is one of the largest of forest trees; also, its fruit, a smooth, oblong nut, an inch or an inch and a half long, with a thin shell and well-flavored meat. Written also pacane.

Webster 1913