1
: a large hickory (Carya illinoinensis synonym C. illinoensis) that has roughish bark and hard but brittle wood and is widely grown in the warmer parts of the U.S. and in Mexico for its edible nut
2
: the wood of the pecan tree
The hardwood floor was made of pecan.
3
: the smooth oblong thin-shelled nut of the pecan tree
bought some pecans to make a pie

Examples of pecan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Janet Day, then Janet Hermes, balanced plates of ribs and pecan pie. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024 And while the bun (the classic version, plus varieties like blueberry licorice and caramel maple pecan) is a star, all of Brauð’s baked goods are alone worthy of a trip to Iceland. Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2024 Lastly, always take the time the toast your pecans! Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 Most king cakes are baked with a cream cheese filling but other fillings such as pecan pralines, cinnamon, fruit and chocolate are also popular. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024 Out-of-state dairy conglomerate Riverview and several large-scale pecan farms now dominate a lot of the agricultural production in the area. The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Also available: cookies and cream, and bourbon butter pecan. David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Get The Recipe 08 of 10 Double-Decker Pecan Cheesecake Pie Swap out your usual pecan pie recipe for one that's layered with cheesecake—yum. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2024 From the neighborhood affectionately known as Sweet Auburn to his favorite spot for pecan pie, take a tour through the place King called home. Nneka M. Okona, WSJ, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pecan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

American French pacane, from Illinois pakani

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pecan was in 1761

Dictionary Entries Near pecan

Cite this Entry

“Pecan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pecan. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pecan

noun
pe·​can pi-ˈkän How to pronounce pecan (audio) -ˈkan How to pronounce pecan (audio)
: an oblong edible nut that usually has a thin shell and is the fruit of a tall tree of the central and southern U.S.
also : this tree which is one of the hickories

More from Merriam-Webster on pecan

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