yellowhammer

[ yel-oh-ham-er ]

noun

1. a common European bunting, Emberiza citrinella, the male of which is marked with bright yellow.
2. Chiefly Southern U.S. a flicker, Colaptes auratus, having yellow wing and tail linings.

yellowhammer

/ ˈjɛləʊˌhæmə /

noun

1. a European bunting, Emberiza citrinella, having a yellowish head and body and brown streaked wings and tail
2. See flicker
   the yellow-shafted flicker, an American woodpecker See flicker 2

Word History and Origins

Origin of yellowhammer¹

1550–60; earlier also yelamber, yelambre, probably continuing Old English *geolu-amore, equivalent to geolu yellow + amore presumably, the bunting (cognate with Old Saxon amer, Old High German amaro; emberizine ); forms with -h- perhaps reflect blending with another etymon, later conformed to hammer (compare dial. yellowham )

Word History and Origins

Origin of yellowhammer¹

C16: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Each man wore upon his head a down head-net, a pair of trembler plumes, and a yellowhammer-feather forehead-band.

From Project Gutenberg

Upon the head was a feather tuft, a yellowhammer-feather forehead-band, two trembler plumes and some down.

From Project Gutenberg

There have been examples of chaffinches pairing with female canaries, and it has been said with a female yellowhammer.

From Project Gutenberg

Independently of the beak, this bird may be taken for a female yellowhammer, as it resembles it so much in its shape and plumage.

From Project Gutenberg

They are about the size of the yellowhammer, six inches and a half in length, of which the tail measures two.

From Project Gutenberg