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Definition of nuthatch
nuthatch
/ˈnʌtˌhætʃ/
nut · hatch
Plural:nuthatches
nuthatch Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
nuthatch Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
Any of various small, short-tailed songbirds of the family Sittidae, primarily found in North America and Eurasia, characterized by a strong bill and the unique ability to climb down tree trunks headfirst while foraging for insects and seeds.
Example
"We watched a white-breasted nuthatch spiral down the trunk of the oak tree, meticulously searching the bark for hidden beetles."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for nuthatchWord Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'notehache', equivalent to 'nut' + 'hatch' (from a variant of 'hack'). The name refers to the bird's habit of wedging nuts into tree bark crevices and hacking them open with its strong bill.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nuthatch. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nuthatch