mattock
pronunciation
How to pronounce mattock in British English:
UK [ˈmætək]
How to pronounce mattock in American English:
US [ ˈmætək]
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- Noun:
- a kind of pick that is used for digging; has a flat baled set at right angles to the handle
Word Origin
- mattock (n.)
- Old English mættoc, probably from Vulgar Latin *matteuca "club," related to Latin mateola, a kind of mallet (see mace (n.1)), but this is not certain, and synonymous Russian motyka, Lithuanian matikkas suggest other possibilities. OED says similar words in Welsh and Gaelic are from English.