pea·nut
ˈpē-(ˌ)nət 
plural peanuts
1
: a low-branching widely cultivated annual herb (Arachis hypogaea) of the legume family with showy yellow flowers having a peduncle which elongates and bends into the soil where the ovary ripens into a pod containing one to three oily edible seeds
also
: its seed or seed-containing pod
2
: an insignificant or tiny person
3
peanuts plural
: a trifling amount
4
: a pellet made of a low-density lightweight material (such as polystyrene foam or corn starch) that is used especially as packing material
—usually plural
It's all part of the company's mission to be more sustainable. When your paint shows up at your door, you won't find it loaded with polystyrene peanuts.—
Nicole Conway
Nicole ConwayIn the 1800s the acorns were used for packing (like Styrofoam peanuts) and ships would dump them overboard and they'd wash up on shore.—Rich Eldred
Rich EldredWhenever you get plants in the mail, or other fragile things, they come packed with these foam peanuts.—Peter Hotton
Peter HottonThe bill would also ban the sale of polystyrene loose fill packaging, or packing peanuts.—Samantha Maldonado
Samantha Maldonado
: insignificant, petty
peanut politics
Examples of peanut in a Sentence
Noun
Five billion dollars is peanuts compared to what the government spends each year.
He works all day for peanuts.
Adjective
this is a peanut matter, and we're fools for wasting time on it
Recent Examples on the Web
Luis Melgar, Washington Post, 16 June 2026
Examples include peanut and almond butter (which also offer healthy fats), yogurt (which contains probiotics), and eggs for savory versions.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
They are found in foods such as egg yolks, soybeans, wheat germ, peanuts, and liver.
—James Powel, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Pistachios contain more fiber than peanuts, helping to support digestion, satiety, and heart health.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for peanut
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Noun
But to workers, the higher costs are hardly peanuts, with the price of gas surging about 50 percent since the war began.
—Luis Melgar, Washington Post, 16 June 2026
Examples include peanut and almond butter (which also offer healthy fats), yogurt (which contains probiotics), and eggs for savory versions.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
They are found in foods such as egg yolks, soybeans, wheat germ, peanuts, and liver.
—James Powel, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Pistachios contain more fiber than peanuts, helping to support digestion, satiety, and heart health.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for peanut
Cite this Entry
“Peanut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peanut. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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