hickory

noun

hick·​o·​ry ˈhi-k(ə-)rē 

plural hickories

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

But the city park, a former centerpiece of the town that was once lined with towering oaks and hickories, and alive with a pool and ballfields and playgrounds, still looks like a big, vacant field with mangled tree stumps, empty concrete slabs, and a few piles of bricks from the old dugouts. —Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 1 May 2024

Back in Arkansas, 20 more miles of riding, partly through the Mark Twain National Forest, where hardwood trees like oak and hickory offer a vibrant autumn backdrop, bring you to Eureka Springs. —Cindy Hirschfeld, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2023

The train then travels over Goshen Pass and through downtown Lexington, Virginia before passing through George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, a 1.8 million acre expanse that’s home to over 40 species of trees, including colorful oaks, hickories, and maples. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2023

The offer includes a 6-pound, bone-in hickory smoked ham from Market Pantry; Good & Gather russet potatoes and frozen corn; Del Monte green beans; Campbell's cream of mushroom soup; and Favorite Day French bread and peppermint sandwich cookies. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2023

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

Phrases Containing hickory

• shagbark hickory

Kids Definition

hickory

noun

hick·​o·​ry ˈhik-(ə-)rē 

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 

city in west central North Carolina population 40,010