Yes, an almond is a fruit. More specifically, it's a drupe.
Understanding the Botanical Classification
While we commonly refer to almonds as nuts, botanically speaking, they are classified as drupes. A drupe is a type of fruit with a fleshy outer layer (the husk), a hard shell (the endocarp), and a seed inside (what we eat). Peaches, plums, and cherries are other examples of drupes. The almond "nut" is actually this seed.
Several sources confirm this classification:
- Multiple sources, including McGill University (https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/nutrition-did-you-know/cashews-and-almonds-arent-technically-nuts-so-what-are-they), Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almond), and Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/plant/almond), clearly state that almonds are drupes, not true nuts. They highlight that the edible part is the seed within a hard shell encased in a fleshy fruit.
- The Martha Stewart blog (https://www.themarthablog.com/2017/11/harvesting-almonds.html) describes the almond fruit as having a "leathery" hull or husk.
- Numerous other sources, including Maisie Jane's (https://info.maisiejanes.com/almonds-are-fruit-should-you-eat-them/), Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1dxi7y/til_that_the_almond_is_not_a_nut_but_in_fact_a/), and Quora (https://www.quora.com/What-fruit-plant-does-an-almond-come-from) also support the classification of the almond as a fruit.
In short, while culinary use might classify almonds as nuts, the botanical classification identifies them as the seed of a drupe fruit.