/hik"euh ree, hik"ree/ , n. , pl. hickories .
1. any of several North American trees belonging to the genus Carya, of the walnut family, certain species of which bear edible nuts or yield a valuable wood. Cf. pecan, shagbark .
2. the wood of any of these trees.
3. a switch, stick, etc., of this wood.
4. Baseball Slang. a baseball bat.
5. Also called hickory cloth, hickory stripe . a strong fabric of twill construction, used chiefly in the manufacture of work clothes.
[ 1610-20, Amer.; earlier pohickery pocohiquara a milky drink prepared from hickory nuts ]