1. A small North American tree or shrub of the beech family, bearing edible nuts similar to chestnuts.
Usage: Also spelled 'chinkapin'; Regional: primarily eastern and southern United States
2. The small, sweet, edible nut produced by the chinquapin tree.

Examples

• The chinquapin tree grows wild in the forests of the southeastern United States.
• Native Americans traditionally gathered chinquapin nuts as a food source.
• Chinquapin nuts are smaller and sweeter than regular chestnuts.
• The chinquapin is related to the American chestnut but is less affected by chestnut blight.
• Children would collect chinquapin nuts in the fall to roast and eat.