1. A threaded nut with winglike projections for thumb and forefinger leverage in turning
   "He tightened the wing nuts on the camera tripod";
   - wing-nut, wing screw, butterfly nut, thumbnut
    
2. Any tree of the genus Pterocarya; fruit is a small winged nutlet; Caucasus to southeastern Asia
   "The wing nut tree's distinctive fruits twirled to the ground like little helicopters";
   - wing-nut

Derived forms: wing nuts, wing-nuts

Type of: nut, nut tree

Part of: genus Pterocarya, Pterocarya

Encyclopedia: Wing nut