noun
tomahawk
TOM-uh-hawk
Tomahawk (noun) means a light axe traditionally used by Native American warriors, originally made of stone, bone, or antler. Example: “The museum exhibit included a ceremonial tomahawk decorated with beads.”
noun
1
A light axe traditionally used by Native American warriors, originally made of stone, bone, or antler.
"The museum exhibit included a ceremonial tomahawk decorated with beads."
2
A basketball dunk performed with the arm swung behind the head before slamming the ball through the hoop.
"He finished the fast break with a two-handed tomahawk dunk."
3
A long-range cruise missile (the BGM-109 Tomahawk) launched from ships or submarines.
"The navy destroyer fired several Tomahawk missiles at the target."
verb
1
To strike or cut with a tomahawk.
"The warrior tomahawked through the brush to clear a path."
How to use tomahawk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA traditional Native American hand axe; the word is also used for a slam-dunk style and a type of cruise missile.
Common pairings
tomahawk dunk
tomahawk missile
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Word forms
- Plural
- tomahawks
- Third person singular
- tomahawks
- Past tense
- tomahawked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The museum exhibit included a ceremonial _____ decorated with beads.
Etymology
From an Eastern Algonquian word, likely Powhatan "tumahák," related to words for "axe" in several other Algonquian languages.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for tomahawk
See all rhymes for tomahawk →Frequently asked questions
What does “tomahawk” mean?
The word “tomahawk” means a light axe traditionally used by Native American warriors, originally made of stone, bone, or antler. In plain terms, a traditional Native American hand axe; the word is also used for a slam-dunk style and a type of cruise missile.
How do you pronounce “tomahawk”?
“Tomahawk” is pronounced TOM-uh-hawk (/ˈtɑ.mə.hɔk/ in IPA).
How do you use “tomahawk” in a sentence?
Here is “tomahawk” used in a sentence: “The museum exhibit included a ceremonial tomahawk decorated with beads.”
What part of speech is “tomahawk”?
Depending on how it is used, “tomahawk” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “tomahawk” have?
“Tomahawk” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a light axe traditionally used by Native American warriors, originally made of stone, bone, or antler.
