pickax

noun

pick·​ax ˈpik-ˌaks How to pronounce pickax (audio)
variants or pickaxe

Examples of pickax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Karla Faye Tucker killed two people with a pickax before finding God behind bars — but Candice DeLong believes her fate was sealed long before the murders. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026 Hike in with a pickax, dig a hole a few inches deep, and place the sharp end of the node into that hole, making sure the spike containing the geophone is completely covered. Lauren Steele, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026 The carvings depict bighorn sheep, bisected circles and at one site, a miner swinging a pickax. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025 At the center of the maelstrom stands Léna Lazare, holding a pickax. Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 7 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for pickax

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pecaxe, alteration of pikois, from Anglo-French picois, from pic pick, from Latin picus woodpecker — more at pie

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pickax was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Pickax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickax. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

pickax

noun
pick·​ax ˈpik-ˌaks How to pronounce pickax (audio)

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