pistachio
nounUK /pɪsˈtæʃi.əʊ/ · US /pɪsˈtæʃioʊ/
Etymology From Italian pistacchio (1590s), from Latin pistācium (“pistachio”), from Ancient Greek πιστάκιον (pistákion), from πιστάκη (pistákē, “pistachio tree”), of Iranian origin. Compare Middle English pistace (from Middle French pistace, pistache), Northern Kurdish pisteq, Persian پسته (peste), Middle Persian pstk' (pistag, “pistachio nut”), Old Armenian պիստակ (pistak) (from Iranian), Arabic فُسْتُق (fustuq), Turkish fıstık.
1
A deciduous tree (Pistacia vera) grown in parts of Asia for its drupaceous fruit.
2
The nutlike fruit of this tree.
- We topped ours with pistachio and mint, but this pudding is typically decorated with aromatic jasmine blossoms, a floral nod to summer’s end.2025 August 27, David Tanis, “This 20-Minute Shrimp Curry Will Wow Everyone Who Tries It”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 Aug 2025:
3
A pale green colour, like that of a pistachio seed.
- Derived terms
- Chinese pistachio, ground pistachio, pistachioed, pistachio nut