Word Study
Hickory
CIDE DICTIONARY
Hickory, n. [North American Indian pawcohiccora (Capt. J. Smith) a kind of milk or oily liquor pressed from pounded hickory nuts. “Pohickory” is named in a list of Virginia trees, in 1653, and this was finally shortened to “hickory.” J. H. Trumbull. ].
An American tree of the genus Carya , of which there are several species. The shagbark is the Carya alba , and has a very rough bark; it affords the hickory nut of the markets. The pignut, or brown hickory, is the Carya glabra . The swamp hickory is Carya amara , having a nut whose shell is very thin and the kernel bitter. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Hickory, n. (pl. -ies)
1 any N. American tree of the genus Carya, yielding tough heavy wood and bearing nutlike edible fruits (see PECAN).
2 a the wood of these trees. b a stick made of this.
1 any N. American tree of the genus Carya, yielding tough heavy wood and bearing nutlike edible fruits (see PECAN).
2 a the wood of these trees. b a stick made of this.
Etymology
native Virginian pohickery
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