Peanuts — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun plural noun /ˈpē-(ˌ)nət/ pea·nut

Meaning & Definition of Peanuts

Peanuts (noun)

  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. a trifling amount
  4. a chewy marshmallow candy that is shaped like a peanut shell, is typically orange in color, and has a banana flavor

Peanuts (plural noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a very small amount

    "that's peanuts compared to what I had to deal with yesterday"

    similar: ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, ray, scintilla, scruple, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smack, smell, smidgen, snap, soupçon, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, touch, trace, drop in the bucket
    related: hoot, iota, jot, minim, minimum, modicum, semblance, syllable, tittle, vestige, whit, atom, dot, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, patch, scrap, dash, drop, pinch, part, portion, section, bite, nibble, taste, handful, scattering, smatter, smattering, dose, shot, chip, flake, fragment, shard, shiver, sliver, smithereens, splinter, tatter, clipping, paring, shaving
    near: abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings (chiefly British), loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth, volume, bonanza, embarrassment, excess, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, chunk, hunk, lump, slab

  2. a very small sum of money

    "employees griping that they were working for peanuts"

    similar: chicken feed (slang), chump change, dime, hay, mite, pin money, pittance, shoestring, song, two cents
    related: petty cash, pocket money, spending money
    opposite: big buck(s), boodle, bundle, fortune, king's ransom, megabuck(s), mint, wad
    near: bankroll, capital, funds, means, wherewithal, opulence, pelf, riches, treasure, wealth, heap, pile, pot, bonanza, mine, treasure trove, treasury

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Peanuts

The most common words with a similar meaning to Peanuts:

Slang: chicken feed
ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, ray, scintilla, scruple, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smack, smell, smidgen, snap, soupçon, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, touch, trace, chump change, dime

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Peanuts

Words with the opposite meaning of Peanuts:

big buck(s), boodle, bundle, fortune, king's ransom, megabuck(s), mint, wad

Related Words for Peanuts

hoot, iota, jot, minim, minimum, modicum, semblance, syllable, tittle, vestige, whit, atom, dot, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, patch, scrap, dash, drop, pinch, part, portion, section, bite

Near Antonyms of Peanuts

abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings, loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wealth, volume

Origin & Etymology of Peanuts

First known use: 1802

Frequently Asked Questions about Peanuts

What does "Peanuts" mean?

"Peanuts" means 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. As an a noun and a plural noun, it is defined as: 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. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Peanuts"?

Other words for "Peanuts" include ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer and hint. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Peanuts" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Peanuts"?

There are 101 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Peanuts". Common alternatives include ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, lick and little.

What is the opposite of "Peanuts"?

Antonyms of "Peanuts" include big buck(s), boodle, bundle, fortune, king's ransom, megabuck(s), mint and wad. Near antonyms include abundance, barrel, boatload and bucket.

How do you use "Peanuts" in a sentence?

Examples of "Peanuts" in a sentence: "that's peanuts compared to what I had to deal with yesterday"; "employees griping that they were working for peanuts".

Is "Peanuts" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Peanuts" can be used as a noun and a plural noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Peanuts"?

"Peanuts" is pronounced /ˈpē-(ˌ)nət/ and divided into syllables as pea·nut.

What is the origin of the word "Peanuts"?

First known use: 1802.