noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:N AH1 T M EH2 G
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An evergreen tree (Myristica fragrans) cultivated in the East Indies for its spicy seeds.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The aromatic seed of this tree, used as a spice.
The powdered seed, ready for use.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The aromatic seed of this tree, used as a spice.
A whole nutmeg seed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A small moth, Hadula trifolii, feeding on plants and native to the Northern Hemisphere.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A grey-brown colour.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The playing of the ball between the legs of an opponent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To flavour with nutmeg.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
She decided the eggnog was lacking in flavor, so she decided to nutmeg it heavily.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To play the ball between the legs of (an opponent).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
hard aromatic seed of the nutmeg tree used as spice when grated or ground
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: spice
10
noun
Meaning 10
East Indian tree widely cultivated in the tropics for its aromatic seed; source of two spices: nutmeg and mace
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: spice tree
History
Etymology
From Middle English notemege, notemuge, a partial translation of Medieval Latin nux muga, a variant of Medieval Latin nux muscata (“musky nut”). Compare also Old French nois mugede. For the term used in various ball sports, see Wikipedia.
Across languages
Translations
219 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
arrë muskat
— tree
Armenian:
մշկընկույզ
(mškənkuyz)
— tree
Azerbaijani:
cövüz
— tree
Bulgarian:
муска́тово о́рехче
(muskátovo órehče)
— tree
Bulgarian:
инди́йско о́рехче
(indíjsko órehče)
— tree
Bulgarian:
муска́т
(muskát)
— tree
Bulgarian:
муска́тово дърво́
(muskátovo dǎrvó)
— tree
Burmese:
ဇာတိပ္ဖိုလ်
(jatiphpuil)
— tree
Czech:
muškátovník
— tree
Czech:
macizeň pravá
— tree
Dutch:
muskaatboom
— tree
Finnish:
muskottipuu
— tree
French:
muscadier
— tree
German:
Muskatnussbaum
— tree
German:
Muskatbaum
— tree
Greek:
μοσχοκαρυδιά
(moschokarydiá)
— tree
Hawaiian:
hua ʻala
— tree
Hebrew:
מוסקט
(muscat)
— tree
Hindi:
जायफल
(jāyphal)
— tree
Hungarian:
szerecsendiófa
— tree
Ido:
muskadiero
— tree
Indonesian:
pala
— tree
Japanese:
ニクズク
(nikuzuku)
— tree
Kalmyk:
зать
(zatʹ)
— tree
Kannada:
ಜಾಪತ್ರೆ
(jāpatre)
— tree
Northeast Kiwai:
rehebo
— tree
Macedonian:
му́скатов о́рев
(múskatov órev)
— tree
Macedonian:
мо́рски о́рев
(mórski órev)
— tree
Macedonian:
му́скатно о́ревче
(múskatno órevče)
— tree
Malay:
pala
— tree
Mato:
mada
— tree
Persian:
جوز هندی
(jowz-e hendi)
— tree
Persian:
گوز هندی
(gowz-e hendi)
— tree
Polish:
muszkatowiec
— tree
Polish:
muszkatołowiec
— tree
Polish:
muszkat
— tree
Portuguese:
noz-moscada
— tree
Romanian:
nucșor
— tree
Ronji:
maja
— tree
Russian:
муска́тный оре́х
(muskátnyj oréx)
— tree
Russian:
муска́т
(muskát)
— tree
Russian:
муска́тник
(muskátnik)
— tree
Serbo-Croatian:
muškatni oraščić
— tree
Serbo-Croatian:
muškat
— tree
Serbo-Croatian:
muškatni orah
— tree
Serbo-Croatian:
muškatnica
— tree
Serbo-Croatian:
muškatno drvo
— tree
Sicilian:
nuci muscata
— tree
Sinhalese:
සාදික්කා
(sādikkā)
— tree
Slovene:
muškatni orešček
— tree
Slovene:
muškatni orešek
— tree
Slovene:
muškatno drevo
— tree
Slovene:
muškatovec
— tree
Slovene:
muškat
— tree
Spanish:
árbol de la nuez moscada
— tree
Spanish:
mirística
— tree
Swahili:
mkungumanga
— tree
Swedish:
muskot
— tree
Swedish:
muskotträd
— tree
Tagalog:
moskada
— tree
Tamil:
சாதிக்காய்மரம்
(cātikkāymaram)
— tree
Tamil:
சீமைக்கள்ளி
(cīmaikkaḷḷi)
— tree
Turkish:
Hint cevizi
— tree
Turkish:
muskat
— tree
Ukrainian:
муска́тний горі́х
(muskátnyj horíx)
— tree