Words / B1

KONGK-uh/ˈkɒŋkə/

A conker is the shiny brown nut of a horse chestnut tree, used in the children’s game conkers (UK). A chestnut you eat is a sweet chestnut — different tree. Collocation: play conkers; a conker on a string. Countable. Very British autumn vocabulary.

Meaning

The hard brown nut of a horse chestnut tree, used in a children’s game (UK).

Examples

• “The children collected conkers under the trees in the park.”
• “Horse chestnut trees drop conkers all over the path in October.”
• “He drilled a hole in the conker and threaded it with a shoelace.”

Good to know

a conker (UK). Game: conkers. Contrast: a sweet chestnut (food). Autumn playground word.

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