hand ax

noun

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.

broad hatchet.

Origin of hand ax

before 1000; Middle English, Old English

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hand ax

Historical Examples of hand ax

Jest as I raised my hand-ax I happened to cast my eyes down the hill.
Dutch Courage and Other Stories
Jack London

hand ax in Science

hand ax

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.