The word is a compound of noiz¹ (‘nut’) and gauge² (‘nut of the walnut tree’), and may be read as two separate words; cf. nux gallica, FEW 4,36b. However, the lack of a sibilant ending of noiz suggests that the phrase became lexicalized as one word (see DEAF). For the non-lexicalized expression noiz (de) gauge, see gauge².

The sense ‘hazelnut’ found in the TLL citation is unexpected, but indicated by the Latin and other Anglo-Norman glosses.