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
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The multicolor look is contrasted by a more restrained Japan-exclusive Gray/Black/Beige style which features a gray denim base and the same hickory stripe overlays found on the Estate Blue colorway. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 Benton settled in 1841, then incorporated 60 years later, expanding outward from the planting of a hickory tree. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Other trees that peel like this include birches, sycamores, some hickories, paperbark maples, and stewartia. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2026 Its mix of sugar maple, ash, cottonwood, hickory, and several types of oak trees create a vibrant canopy of orange, gold, and red. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 20 Sep. 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

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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 27 Oct. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on hickory

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hickory

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hickory

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