a. and sb.; also avell-, avelane. [ad. L. Avellānus of Avella or Abella, a town in Campania famous for its fruit-trees and nuts. Cf. Sp., It. avellana sb., OF. avelin adj., avelaine sb., mod.F. aveline sb.]
A. adj. Of Avella; filbert-, hazel-; cf. L. Avellāna nux.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. viii. Adamas … passeþ neuer þe quantite of a note avelane [1535 walnut].
1875. Blackmore, A. Lorraine, III. xxvii. 340. From the size of an avellan-nut to that of a small castane.
B. sb. A filbert- or hazel-nut. (See also quot. 1610.)
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. lxvii. (1495), 285. Grete nottes & Auellanes.
1610. Markham, Masterp., II. clxxiii. 484. Auellane, which we call the ashes of nut-shells burnt.
b. attrib. in Her., as applied to a kind of cross.
1611. Gwillim, Heraldrie, III. i. 190. A Crosse Auellane.
1727. Bradley, Fam. Dict., Avelane … the form of a Cross, which resembles four Filberts in their Husks or Cases, joined together at the great End.
