pitchfork

American  

[pich-fawrk] / ˈpɪtʃˌfɔrk /

noun

pitchforks plural

1. a large, long-handled fork for manually lifting and pitching hay, stalks of grain, etc.

2. Northern U.S. pitchforks, beggar's-lice, especially the achenes of Spanish needles.

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verb (used with object)

pitchforks, present (3rd person singular) pitchforked, past participle, past pitchforking present participle

1. to pitch or throw with or as if with a pitchfork.

pitchfork British  

/ ˈpɪtʃˌfɔːk /

noun

1. a long-handled fork with two or three long curved tines for lifting, turning, or tossing hay

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verb

1. to use a pitchfork on (something)

2. to thrust (someone) unwillingly into a position

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pitchforks
  plural

Participles

• pitchforking
  present
• pitchforked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• pitchfork
  simple
• pitchforks
  simple
• have pitchforked
  perfect
• has pitchforked
  perfect
• am pitchforking
  progressive
• are pitchforking
  progressive
• is pitchforking
  progressive
• have been pitchforking
  perfect progressive
• has been pitchforking
  perfect progressive

Past

• pitchforked
  simple
• had pitchforked
  perfect
• was pitchforking
  progressive
• were pitchforking
  progressive
• had been pitchforking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will pitchfork
  simple
• will have pitchforked
  perfect
• will be pitchforking
  progressive
• will have been pitchforking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of pitchfork

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at pitch ¹, fork

Explanation

A pitchfork is a large three-pronged tool used for gardening or farming. If you want to see an image of a pitchfork, just google an image of the famous painting "American Gothic." With a pitchfork, a farmer can easily scoop beneath a pile of hay or straw, lift it, and toss it into a pile. Most pitchforks have wooden handles and metal prongs, and they've been around since the Middle Ages. Back then, they were sometimes used as a weapon too. The word pitchfork comes from the "toss or throw" meaning of pitch, plus fork, from the Old English forca, "forked instrument or weapon."

Example Sentences

Much less familiar is Guglielmo of Malavalle, a twelfth century hermit venerated by the Augustinians for defeating a dragon using a simple wooden staff shaped like a pitchfork.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

In a noticeable moment from “Cow,” a farmer baling hay strikes his pitchfork against a stone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

The FDF, whose symbol is a crossed double pitchfork, was formed in 2019 and has since expanded to Belgium.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 18, 2024

“Those beautiful-world people accused us of not loving our elephants and torturing them by having them carrying tourists around or using hooks and chaining them,” said Mr. Aon, flicking Lucky more grass with a pitchfork.

From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2023

What I had was more Buckwheat: unruly and impossible to comb, like stabbing a pitchfork into a bed of crabgrass.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah