mattock

Meanings

Noun

• An agricultural tool whose blades are at right angles to the body, similar to a pickaxe.

Verb

• To cut or dig with a mattock.

Origin

• From Middle English mattok, from Old English mattuc, meottoc, mettac, from Proto-Germanic *mattukaz, from Proto-Indo-European *matn-, *mat-. Related to Old High German medela ("plough"), Middle High German metze, metz, Latin mateola ("implement for digging in the soil"), Polish motyka ("hoe, mattock"), Russian моты́га ("hoe, mattock"), Lithuanian matikkas ("mattock"), Sanskrit मत्य ("harrow, roller, club"). More at mason.