Hickory
/ˈhɪk.ə.ri/noun
A North American tree of the walnut family, or its hard, tough wood.
Did you know?The English word hickory comes from a Powhatan/Algonquian term recorded by early colonists, showing how Native American plant names were absorbed into English during first contact.
Etymological Timeline
Early 17th Century
Algonquian
pawcohiccora
“A drink or food made from crushed hickory nuts; the word was recorded by English colonists in Virginia.”
Early 17th Century
Powhatan
hiccory
“An early recorded form referring to the hickory tree or its nuts, as heard by English settlers.”
17th Century
English
hickory
“The name adopted into English for the tree and its hard wood.”
Modern English
English
hickory
“A North American tree of the walnut family, or the tough, elastic wood it yields.”