Etymology

pecan

pe·can
P3E1C3A1N1

Today it means: A deciduous tree, Carya illinoinensis, of the central and southern United States, having deeply furrowed bark, pinnately compound leaves, and edible nuts. Full definition →

French pacane
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The story

  1. French · borrowed frompacane
  2. English todaypecan

Borrowed from French pacane and at first spelt paccan. The French word derives from an Algonquian word, perhaps Miami (Illinois) pakani. Compare Cree pakan (“hard nut”), Ojibwe bagaan, Abenaki pagann, bagôn, pagôn (“nut; walnut, hazelnut”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.