Etymograph

English

hickwall

Hickwall comes from Middle English hyghwhele.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hyghwhele
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1861hickwall

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hyghwhele
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1861hickwall

Earliest quotation: 1861, John Christopher Atkinson, British Birds' Eggs and Nests: “Tomtit, Blue Tomtit, Nun, Blue-cap, Blue-bonnet, Billy-biter, Hickwall, Blue…”

The story

Rarely attested before the sixteenth century, making the original form difficult to trace. Probably imitative of the bird's cry; compare yaffle (‘green woodpecker’). Possibly influenced by witwall, woodwall.

Every English word from Middle English hyghwhele

Today it means

noun A lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor).

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Middle English hyghwhele / hickwall

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