nutcracker

[ nuht-krak-er ]
/ ˈnʌtˌkræk ər /

noun

an instrument or device for cracking the shells of nuts.
any of several corvine birds of the genus Nucifraga that feed on nuts, as the common nutcracker, N. caryocatactes, of Europe and Clark's nutcracker, N. columbiana, of the western U.S.

Origin of nutcracker

First recorded in 1540–50; nut + cracker

Words nearby nutcracker

nutant, nutate, nutation, nutbrown, nutcase, nutcracker, nutcracker suite, nutgall, nuthatch, nuthouse, nutjob

Example sentences from the Web for nut-cracker

British Dictionary definitions for nut-cracker

nutcracker
/ (ˈnʌtˌkrækə) /

noun

(often plural) a device for cracking the shells of nuts
either of two birds, Nucifraga caryocatactes of the Old World or N. columbianus (Clark's nutcracker) of North America, having speckled plumage and feeding on nuts, seeds, etc: family Corvidae (crows)