yellowhammer
1 synonym for yellowhammer, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A yellowhammer is a small European bunting with mainly yellow plumage, found across western Eurasia.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
yellow bunting
How to use yellowhammer
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
yellowhammer's song
male yellowhammer
yellowhammer nest
spot a yellowhammer
The bird sense is standard British usage; the woodpecker sense belongs to American English.
Etymology
The word altered an older form, yelambre, under the influence of hammer. That earlier form went back through Middle English to yellow plus an old word for the bird, related to Old English amore and modern German Ammer.
Full origin of yellowhammer →Frequently asked questions
Is a yellowhammer the same as a canary?
No, a yellowhammer is a wild bunting or, in America, a woodpecker, not a caged songbird like a canary.
Why is it called a yellowhammer?
The name comes from an older word for the bird that was reshaped by the word hammer, not from any hammering habit.
What does a yellowhammer look like?
The European bird has a mostly yellow head and body with a streaked brown back.
