yellowhammer

/ˈjɛl.oʊˌhæm.ɚ/

UK: /ˈjɛl.əʊˌhæm.ə(ɹ)/

JƐL · oʊhæm · ɚ (3 syllables)

English Noun

Definition

A passerine bird, Emberiza citrinella, of western Eurasia, which is mainly yellow in colour.

Etymology

Alteration (influenced by hammer) of earlier yelambre, yelamber, from Middle English *yelwambre, from yelwe (“yellow”) + *ambre (“yellowhammer”), from Old English amore, related to Old High German amaro (“yellowhammer”) (see modern German Ammer).