cashew

noun

• 1 (also cashew nut) an edible kidney-shaped nut, rich in oil and protein, which is roasted and shelled before it can be eaten. Oil extracted from the shells is used as a lubricant, in the production of plastics, etc..

• 2 (also cashew tree) a bushy tropical American tree related to the mango, bearing cashew nuts singly at the tip of each swollen fruit. Also called acajou.

  • Anacardium occidentale, family Anacardiaceae