the seed of the ivory palm, which contains an ivory-like substance used to make buttons, etc
2.
any similar seed from other palms
Former name (1871–1932): vegetable ivory
ivory nut in American English
vegetable ivory (sense 1)
ivory nut in American English
noun
1.
the seed of a low, South American palm, Phytelephas macrocarpa, yielding vegetable ivory
2.
a similar seed from other palms
Word origin
[1915–20]This word is first recorded in the period 1915–20. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: collage, decoder, feedback, soviet, takeout