shagbark hickory
noun
: a hickory (Carya ovata) of eastern North America with sweet edible nuts and a gray shaggy outer bark that peels off in long strips
also
: its wood
Examples of shagbark hickory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Often likened to pecans, shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) produces deliciously rich, sweet, and buttery nuts.
—
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
21 Jan. 2026
Her concoctions begin with seasonal and local fruits, herbs, and trees like persimmons, mint, and—get ready—shagbark hickory, and the natural flavors mean no more cloyingly sweet cocktails.
—
Rebecca Deurlein,
Southern Living,
25 Nov. 2025
Hickories, common in southern Michigan, can feature yellow leaves in the fall, the most common variety in the state being shagbark hickory.
—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Common trees in Brown County include the American beech, sugar maple, black walnut, shagbark hickory and white ash.
—
Alysa Guffey,
The Indianapolis Star,
12 Sep. 2024
The payoff is panoramic views to the south of changing leaves — black oak, shagbark hickory and basswood, to name a few — and Lake Michigan to the north.
—
Lori Rackl,
chicagotribune.com,
19 Aug. 2019
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.
Sj McShane,
Martha Stewart,
21 Jan. 2026
Her concoctions begin with seasonal and local fruits, herbs, and trees like persimmons, mint, and—get ready—shagbark hickory, and the natural flavors mean no more cloyingly sweet cocktails.
—
Rebecca Deurlein,
Southern Living,
25 Nov. 2025
Hickories, common in southern Michigan, can feature yellow leaves in the fall, the most common variety in the state being shagbark hickory.
—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Common trees in Brown County include the American beech, sugar maple, black walnut, shagbark hickory and white ash.
—
Alysa Guffey,
The Indianapolis Star,
12 Sep. 2024
The payoff is panoramic views to the south of changing leaves — black oak, shagbark hickory and basswood, to name a few — and Lake Michigan to the north.
—
Lori Rackl,
chicagotribune.com,
19 Aug. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Shagbark hickory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shagbark%20hickory. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
