hickory

noun

hick·​o·​ry ˈhi-k(ə-)rē How to pronounce hickory (audio)
plural hickories
Synonyms of hickorynext
1
a
: any of a genus (Carya) of North American hardwood trees of the walnut family that often have sweet edible nuts
b
: the usually tough wood of a hickory
2
: a switch or cane (as of hickory wood) used especially for punishing a child
hickory adjective

Examples of hickory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fire up your smoker to 250 degrees and add some hickory wood for that smoky goodness. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 Ruby grapefruit and key lime juices with ginger beer effervescence, sealed in a smoke box with hickory and torched rosemary. — Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 28 Apr. 2026 The Solid Stick, crafted from a single piece of acacia, hickory, or maple, is cut to its owner’s height and built to last a lifetime. — Air Mail, 9 May 2026 Use applewood, hickory, oak or a combination for balanced smoke flavor. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hickory

Word History

Etymology

short for obsolete pokahickory, from Virginia Algonquian pawcohiccora food prepared from pounded nuts

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hickory was in 1670

Phrases Containing hickory

Rhymes for hickory

See All Rhymes for hickory

Browse Nearby Words

Hickok
hickory
Hickory
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Cite this Entry

“Hickory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hickory. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hickory

noun
hick·​o·​ry ˈhik-(ə-)rē How to pronounce hickory (audio)
plural hickories
1
: any of a genus of North American trees related to the walnut and having an edible nut with a hard shell
2
: the usually tough pale wood of a hickory

Geographical Definition

Hickory

geographical name

Hick·​o·​ry ˈhi-kə-rē How to pronounce Hickory (audio)
city in west central North Carolina population 40,010

More from Merriam-Webster on hickory

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hickory

Nglish: Translation of hickory for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hickory

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