Alm"ond (#), n. [OE. almande, almaunde, alemaunde, F. amande, L. amygdala, fr. Gr. : cf. Sp. almendra. Cf. Amygdalate.]

1.

The fruit of the almond tree.

The different kinds, as bitter, sweet, thin-shelled, thick-shelled almonds, and Jordan almonds, are the products of different varieties of the one species, Amygdalus communis, a native of the Mediterranean region and western Asia.

2.

The tree bears the fruit; almond tree.

3.

Anything shaped like an almond. Specifically: Anat.

One of the tonsils.

Almond oil, fixed oil expressed from sweet or bitter almonds. -- Oil of bitter almonds, a poisonous volatile oil obtained from bitter almonds by maceration and distillation; benzoic aldehyde. -- Imitation oil of bitter almonds, nitrobenzene. -- Almond tree Bot., the tree bearing the almond. -- Almond willow Bot., a willow which has leaves that are of a light green on both sides; almond-leaved willow (Salix amygdalina).

Shenstone.

© Webster 1913.