hand ax

[ hand aks ]

noun

1. Also hand axe. a usually large, general-purpose bifacial Paleolithic stone tool, often oval or pear-shaped in form and characteristic of certain Lower Paleolithic industries.
2. broad hatchet.

hand ax

/ hănd′ăks′ /

1. A cutting or chopping tool, especially of the Lower Paleolithic Period, typically consisting of a piece of flint or other coarse stone that has been flaked on both sides to produce a sharp edge running all around the perimeter. Hand axes are core tools (produced from a found stone rather than from a processed flake) and have been found in several basic, often pointed shapes, including oval, triangular, and cordate (heart-shaped). The most common Paleolithic tool, they are especially associated with the Acheulian and some Mousterian tool cultures.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hand ax¹

before 1000; Middle English, Old English

Example Sentences

Compound in bulk or in thin iron barrels can be cut into small pieces with a hatchet or hand ax.

From Project Gutenberg

They were the thieves, who had fallen upon me with the hand ax.

From Project Gutenberg

Jest as I raised my hand-ax I happened to cast my eyes down the hill.

From Project Gutenberg