pickaxe

• pickax, pick-axe

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.

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpɪkˌæks/

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pickaxe (plural pickaxes)

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

pickaxe (third-person singular simple present pickaxes, present participle pickaxing, simple past and past participle pickaxed)

1. To use a pickaxe.