noun
- Hard, rounded growths on plants (especially oak trees) caused by insect larvae; used historically to produce ink and dyes.
Usage: Usually plural; also called galls; Historically important in ink production
Examples
- Medieval scribes relied on gallnuts to make the ink for illuminated manuscripts.
- Oak gallnuts were collected and processed to create a dark, durable writing ink.
- The gallnuts formed on the tree branches where wasps had laid their eggs.
- Tannic acid extracted from gallnuts was used in leather tanning.
- Gallnuts have been valued for centuries as a source of natural dye.