WikiWord

English

pickaxe

/ˈpɪkˌæks/ · noun

Meaning

  1. A heavy iron tool with a wooden handle; one end of the head is pointed, the other has a chisel edge.
  2. To use a pickaxe.

Etymology / origin

Inherited from Middle English pykeaxe, pecaxe, pyke exe (“pickaxe”), an alteration (due to folk etymology association with pick and axe) of Middle English pikeyse, pikeys, pykois, from Anglo-Norman *pikeis, Old French picois, pecois, from Latin picōsa (“pickaxe”), from picca, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *pīk (“sharp point, pike”). Doublet of pique and pike.

  1. *pīk(gmw-pro)
  2. picōsa(la)
  3. picois(fro)
  4. *pikeis(xno)
  5. pykeaxe(Middle English)
  6. pykeaxe(Middle English)
  7. pickaxe (English)
  8. Relations: inh, inh, der, der, der, der

Related words

Descendant words

Sources

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