n. 1. A small bunting (Emberiza citrinella) native to Eurasia and northern Africa and introduced into New Zealand, having bright yellow plumage on the head, neck, and breast. 2. See yellow-shafted flicker. [Early Modern English yelamber, yellowhamer, probably alteration (possibly influenced by hammer or by obsolete hame, covering) of Middle English *yelwambre, from Old English *geoluamer : geolu, yellow; see YELLOW + Old English amer, amore, a kind of bird, possibly a bunting or specifically the yellowhammer; akin to Old Saxon amar and Old High German amaro, yellowhammer, perhaps from shortening of an earlier Germanic compound such as *amari-fuglaz, emmer bird (perhaps so called because the yellowhammer eats wheat and is often found in open fields) : *amari-, *amaro-, emmer (exact protoform uncertain); see EMMER : *fuglaz, bird.] |
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