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noun

pickaxe

PIHK-aks

Pickaxe (noun) means a heavy tool with a pointed metal head on a long handle, used for breaking up hard ground or rock. Example: “He used a pickaxe to break through the concrete path.”

noun
1
A heavy tool with a pointed metal head on a long handle, used for breaking up hard ground or rock.
"He used a pickaxe to break through the concrete path."
"Miners once relied on pickaxes to chip away at rock faces."

How to use pickaxe

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA heavy digging tool with a pointed metal head.

Common pairings
swing a pickaxe pickaxe and shovel

Word forms

pickaxed past tense, pickaxes plural, pickaxes singular

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He used a _____ to break through the concrete path.

Etymology

An alteration of Middle English pikeis, related to French pic ("pike, point"), later reshaped in English under the influence of "pick" and "axe."

Origin: French

pick pickax

Related words

Rhymes for pickaxe

axe
See all rhymes for pickaxe →

Frequently asked questions

What does “pickaxe” mean?

The word “pickaxe” means a heavy tool with a pointed metal head on a long handle, used for breaking up hard ground or rock. In plain terms, a heavy digging tool with a pointed metal head.

How do you pronounce “pickaxe”?

“Pickaxe” is pronounced PIHK-aks (/ˈpɪkˌæks/ in IPA).

How do you use “pickaxe” in a sentence?

Here is “pickaxe” used in a sentence: “He used a pickaxe to break through the concrete path.”

What part of speech is “pickaxe”?

“Pickaxe” is a noun.

Where does the word “pickaxe” come from?

The word “pickaxe” comes from French. An alteration of Middle English pikeis, related to French pic ("pike, point"), later reshaped in English under the influence of "pick" and "axe.".

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial