Chestnut has 10 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Adjective · Proper Noun
wood of any of various chestnut trees of the genus Castanea
"The craftsman selected a sturdy piece of chestnut wood to build the rustic fence post."
any of several attractive deciduous trees yellow-brown in autumn; yield a hard wood and edible nuts in a prickly bur
"The ancient chestnut tree stood tall, its golden leaves signaling the arrival of autumn while promising to drop hard-shelled nuts from its prickly burrs."
edible nut of any of various chestnut trees of the genus Castanea
"After roasting them over an open fire, we shared a basket of warm chestnuts at the park."
a small horny callus on the inner surface of a horse's leg
"The trainer carefully trimmed the chestnut off the horse's hind leg before the race."
a dark golden-brown or reddish-brown horse
"The rider guided his chestnut mare across the finish line first."
A tree or shrub of the genus Castanea.
"The old chestnut stood tall at the edge of the forest, its rough bark hiding healthy nuts within."
In plain English: A chestnut is an edible nut that grows on trees and has a hard brown shell with reddish-brown skin inside.
"She told an old chestnut that everyone in the room already knew by heart."
Usage: Use this word to describe both the edible nut and the hardy tree it grows on, but avoid confusing it with "chest" when referring to body parts. It is often used metaphorically for a familiar story that has been told many times before.
(of hair or feathers) of a golden brown to reddish brown color
"a chestnut horse"
"chestnut hair"
Of a deep reddish-brown colour, like that of a chestnut.
"The horse had a beautiful coat of chestnut fur."
In plain English: Chestnut means something that has been told so many times it is no longer interesting.
"The old chestnut horse trotted past with its rider wearing bright red boots."
A surname.
"The famous actor played his final role under the direction of director Chestnut."
The word "chestnut" comes from combining the obsolete term "chest," which meant the tree or its fruit, with "nut." This combination formed the name for the edible seed produced by the tree.