Yes, botanically speaking, a hazelnut is a fruit.
Hazelnuts are often referred to as nuts in common parlance, but from a botanical perspective, a nut is a specific type of fruit. Specifically, it is a dry fruit characterized by:
- A single seed: Hazelnuts contain one seed inside.
- A hard shell: The seed is enclosed in a hard, protective shell.
- A protective husk: This shell is often further encased in a husk.
Therefore, hazelnuts, along with chestnuts, pecans, and walnuts, fit the strict botanical definition of a nut, which makes them a type of fruit.
