/yel"oh ham'euhr/ , n.
1. a common European bunting, Emberiza citrinella, the male of which is marked with bright yellow.
2. Chiefly Southern U.S. a flicker, Colaptes auratus, having yellow wing and tail linings.
[ 1550-60; earlier also yelamber, yelambre, prob. continuing OE * geolu-amore, equiv. to geolu YELLOW + amore presumably, the bunting (c. OS amer, OHG amaro; see EMBERIZINE); forms with -h- perh. reflect blending with another etymon, later conformed to HAMMER (cf. dial. yellowham ) ]