late 15c., "one who gathers nuts," from nut + -er (1). Meaning "crazy person" is British slang, by 1958, from nut + -er (3). Nuttery "mental hospital" is attested in slang from 1931; earlier it meant "place for storing nuts" (1881).
nutritionist
nutritious
nutritive
nuts
nutshell
nutter
nutting
nutty
nuzzle
nycthemeron
nycti-