noun
Uncommon
hatchet
HAT-shiht
Hatchet (noun) means a small hand axe with a short handle. Example: “He used a hatchet to split kindling for the fire.”
noun
1
A small hand axe with a short handle.
"The fellow was armed with a stone-shod spear, a stone knife and a hatchet. In his black hair were several gay-colored feathers."
— , The Land That Time Forgot (1918)
"He used a hatchet to split kindling for the fire."
2
Harsh, aggressive criticism, especially in the phrase "hatchet job."
"The review was a total hatchet job on the new film."
How to use hatchet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small axe — or, idiomatically, a piece of harsh, deliberately damaging criticism.
Memory tip
"Bury the hatchet" means to make peace after a conflict, referencing an old custom of literally burying weapons.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
bury the hatchet
hatchet job
swing a hatchet
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Word forms
- Plural
- hatchets
- Third person singular
- hatchets
- Past tense
- hatcheted, hatchetted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He used a _____ to split kindling for the fire.
Etymology
From Old French hachete, a diminutive of hache, "axe" — ultimately from the same Frankish root that gives us "hash."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for hatchet
See all rhymes for hatchet →Frequently asked questions
What does “hatchet” mean?
The word “hatchet” means a small hand axe with a short handle. In plain terms, a small axe — or, idiomatically, a piece of harsh, deliberately damaging criticism.
How do you pronounce “hatchet”?
“Hatchet” is pronounced HAT-shiht (/ˈhæt͡ʃɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “hatchet” in a sentence?
Here is “hatchet” used in a sentence: “He used a hatchet to split kindling for the fire.”
What part of speech is “hatchet”?
“Hatchet” is a noun.
Where does the word “hatchet” come from?
The word “hatchet” comes from Old French. From Old French hachete, a diminutive of hache, "axe" — ultimately from the same Frankish root that gives us "hash.".
Is “hatchet” a common word?
“Hatchet” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “hatchet” have?
“Hatchet” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small hand axe with a short handle.
