water chestnut
nounDefinition of water chestnut
1
: any of a genus (Trapa, especially T. natans of the family Trapaceae, the water-chestnut family) of Old World aquatic herbs sometimes grown as ornamentals
also
: its edible nutlike spiny fruit
2
: a whitish crunchy vegetable used especially in Chinese cooking that is the peeled and often sliced tuber of a sedge (Eleocharis dulcis synonym E. tuberosa) native to Asia but widely cultivated elsewhere
also
: the tuber or the sedge itself
Examples of water chestnut in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the Connecticut River Conservancy, water chestnut infestations impede fishing, hunting, swimming and boating as the plants can cover large areas and grow 16 feet deep. — Kathleen Mcwilliams, courant.com, "Jonah Center to host two “Paddle with a Purpose” events to clear invasive species from the Floating Meadows," 11 June 2019 Stir in the chicken, water chestnuts and scallions and season with salt and pepper. — Danielle Pointdujour, Essence, "5 Delicious Recipes to Try This Week That Don't Require a Stove," 4 June 2019 To make a savory Asian patty, mix 1 pound ground turkey breast with 8-ounce canned water chestnuts, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 4 green onions, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce; 4 teaspoons soy sauce. — Delia A. Hammock, M.s., Good Housekeeping, "A 7-Day, 1,300-Calorie Meal Plan," 10 Nov. 2014 Remove pan from heat, stir in water chestnuts, spoon the mixture into lettuce cups and serve. — House Beautiful, "Jewels and Jill Elmore's Chicken-Lettuce Cups," 30 Jan. 2012 Mix shrimp, celery, lemon juice, parsley, water chestnuts and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. — Ann Maloney, NOLA.com, "Easy shrimp salad recipes for a chill weeknight supper," 23 May 2018 In a large bowl, combine beef, oats, water chestnuts, ginger, soy sauce and water; mix lightly, but thoroughly. — Atlanta Life, ajc, "7 day menu planner," 16 Mar. 2018 The entrees, kept warm in cast-iron pots on induction burners, might include hulking meatballs with the pillowy loft of Shanghainese lion’s heads, gaining sweetness and crunch from water chestnuts mixed into the ground beef. — Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, "A Menu That Defies Tidy Categorization at Ok Lah!," 1 Mar. 2018 In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced chicken, shrimp, soy sauce, wine, white pepper, cilantro, water chestnuts, ginger and garlic, and mix thoroughly. — Sarah Fritsche, San Francisco Chronicle, "Recipe: Brandon Jew’s Whole Chicken Wontons in Broth," 1 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'water chestnut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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