Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- any of numerous small, short-tailed, sharp-beaked birds of the family Sittidae that creep on trees and feed on small nuts and insects.
noun
- any songbird of the family Sittidae, esp Sitta europaea, having strong feet and bill, and feeding on insects, seeds, and nuts
mid-14c., probably so called from its habit of breaking open and eating nuts; from nut + second element related to hack (v.) and hatchet.