Pea"nut (?), n. (Bot.) The fruit of a trailing leguminous plant (Arachis hypogæa); also, the plant itself, which is widely cultivated for its fruit.

&fist; The fruit is a hard pod, usually containing two or three seeds, sometimes but one, which ripen beneath the soil. Called also earthnut, groundnut, and goober.

• a legume resembling a nut.