A nut is a fruit composed of an inedible, hard shell and a seed which is generally edible. In general usage, a wide variety of dried seeds are called nuts but in a botanical context "nut" implies that the shell does not open to release the seed (indehiscent). The translation of "nut" in certain languages frequently requires paraphrases, as the word is ambiguous.

Most seeds come from fruits that naturally free themselves from the shell. Some nuts, such as hazelnuts, chestnuts, and acorns have hard shell walls and originate from a compound ovary. The general and original usage of the term is less restrictive and many nuts (in the culinary sense), such as almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and Brazil nuts are not nuts in a botanical sense. Common usage of the term often refers to any hard-walled, edible kernel as a nut. Nuts are an energy-dense and nutrient-rich food source.

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