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

They can also be found at the base of hickory, oak, elm, ash, tulip, poplar or sycamore trees. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026

Oaks, hickories, tulip poplars and other hardwoods, leafless only a week ago, are quickly donning their bright green canopies. —Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 21 Mar. 2026

Constructing his earliest works from castoff two-by-fours, Mosley soon progressed to carving small figures and from there to using a chisel and gauge to shape larger abstract forms from fallen logs of hickory, cherry, and sycamore discarded by the city’s parks department. —News Desk, Artforum, 8 Mar. 2026

That said, head to the area in late fall, as the surrounding oak and hickory trees put on a brilliant show. —Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for hickory

• trickery

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