Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A nut with winglike projections for thumb and forefinger leverage in turning.
  • noun A person with extreme or fanatical political views.
  • noun A crazy or eccentric person.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A nut having wing-like projections so that it can be turned easily by hand
  • noun A deciduous tree of the genus Pterocarya native to Asia
  • noun slang a derogatory term for anyone perceived as odd, eccentric, and/or extreme
  • noun slang, rural US Air Force personnel in towns that host a USAF installation

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Senses 2a and 2b influenced by wing, faction.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

wing +‎ nut.

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Examples

Comments

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  • On Urban Dictionary: wingnut

    February 11, 2009

  • Tree in the walnut family with small fruits that look like, well, wingnuts. Next time you're at the Eiffel Tower, examine the compound-leaved trees near the tower's legs. They're a species of wingnut genus, Pterocarya. The species is probably P. macroptera.

    January 28, 2010