# what constitutes a peanut? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388 "2002-11-05T16:38:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/1 "2002-11-05T16:38:11Z")
What makes a peanut? Is it a single seed? Or is it 2 seeds in a shell? Should the shelled piece be called a pair of peanuts, or 2 peanuts in a shell? Should peanut halves be twice as big as they are, and should I be able to buy peanut quarters? ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/2 "2002-11-05T17:24:18Z")
A peanut is the shell plus its contents. Within the shell are (usually) two kernels, each in its own thin seed coat. Each kernel has two halves (cotyledons) and an embryo. ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/3 "2002-11-05T17:27:12Z")
That’s mostly botanically speaking, though, and is more precise than nessecary for conversation. If you go up to the bar and ask for another bowl of peanut kernels, they’ll look at you funny. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/4 "2002-11-05T17:34:30Z")
Only God can make a peanut. But only the USDA can make a Peanut Standards Board. [http://www.peanutsusa.com/facts/grades.html](http://www.peanutsusa.com/facts/grades.html) [http://www.peanutsusa.com/facts/pchart.html](http://www.peanutsusa.com/facts/pchart.html) “Peanut” refers to the seed, either shelled or unshelled. ---
**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/5 "2002-11-05T17:43:29Z")
so opposing views… caveman, u say a peanut is the shell and commonly 2 kernals… so would a kernal be half of an unshelled peanut? DDG, you claim the kernal is the peanut, whereas a common shell would be 2 peanuts… any other opinions from the peanut gallery? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/6 "2002-11-05T18:41:47Z")
A peanut is one of what you’ve got in your hand. If you have a bag of peanuts in the shell, it’s a shell with its contents. If you have a can of cocktail peanuts, it’s a kernel. That would certainly be the intent of someone who asked you for one of your peanuts. ---
**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/7 "2002-11-05T18:56:06Z")
I agree, gary, that would be the intent. But as a math student, I think rather linearly, and believe that one name should refer to one value. How can it be that 1 thing has the same name of something with twice its value?? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/8 "2002-11-05T19:44:40Z")
If you want one name for one part, you should stick to botany. A peanut plant is a legume, so the shell is properly called a pod and its contents are seeds. Each pod usually contains two seeds, but may sometimes contain only one or three or more. The term “kernel” is properly applied only to the grains of cereal crops like wheat and maize. Of course, going to the store and asking for “peanut pods” will get you some funny looks. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/9 "2002-11-05T20:55:19Z")
_I agree, gary, that would be the intent. But as a math student, I think rather linearly, and believe that one name should refer to one value. How can it be that 1 thing has the same name of something with twice its value??_ The problem here is that “peanut” is not a mathematical term. It’s qualitative rather than quantitative. It can refer to a plant, a pod, or a seed. My dictionary says: 1) a spreading annual vine blah blah blah; 2) the pod or any of its seeds; 3)[_pl._][slang] a trifling or small sum of money. Note that third definition–“peanuts” have essentially no value, and as you know, twice nothing is nothing, so that’s how one thing has the same name as something with twice its value. Thus peanuts do not defy mathematics, although they apparently don’t reflect upon it much. ---
**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/10 "2002-11-05T23:06:28Z")
lol good call gary ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/11 "2002-11-05T23:44:28Z")
‘Peanut’ could describe the entire plant; if you asked a farmer what he was growing, I’m sure he wouldn’t say ‘peanut _plants_’ ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/12 "2002-11-06T01:01:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pulling the Strings \* > \*\*I agree, gary, that would be the intent. But as a math student, I think rather linearly, and believe that one name should refer to one value. How can it be that 1 thing has the same name of something with twice its value?? \*\* You have this problem with sheep then too? ---
**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/13 "2002-11-06T16:18:17Z")
sheep are a little different, because the word for singular and plural are one and the same, and differentiating between the two can usually be done through context. but peanut has a plural, peanuts. I would like to know where ‘peanut’ ends and ‘peanuts’ begins ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/14 "2002-11-06T16:26:37Z")
Peanuts are Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Sally, Schroeder, and the rest of the gang. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/15 "2002-11-06T16:34:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by caveman \* > \*\*That’s mostly botanically speaking, though, and is more precise than nessecary for conversation. If you go up to the bar and ask for another bowl of peanut kernels, they’ll look at you funny. \*\* Bah. That’s nothing. Try asking him for a bowl full of peanut embryos… ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/16 "2002-11-07T04:00:51Z")
Please clarify something for me. If I crack open the pod of an uncooked “two-nutter,” and I plant the two nuts, each of which readily breaks into two halves, how many plants will come up? Two? Or four? –Nott, who’s not ashamed to ask ignorant questions, in moderation ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutes-a-peanut/135388/17 "2002-11-07T05:03:21Z")
Two plants - that’s what farmers plant - an entire “nut”