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Definition of nuthatch

nuthatch

/ˈnʌtˌhætʃ/
nut · hatch
Plural:nuthatches
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nuthatch Lexical Profile

nuthatch Game Scores & Validity

• 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 nuthatch

• Nearby Words

nutcase
nutcracker
nutella
nuthatch
nuthouse
nutjob
nutlike

Word 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.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nuthatch. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nuthatch
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