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.
Origin of hand ax
before 1000; Middle English, Old English
Words nearby hand ax
hance,
hancock,
hancock, john,
hand,
hand and foot,
hand ax,
hand bell,
hand brake,
hand down,
hand drill,
hand glass
Example sentences from the Web for 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
Scientific definitions for hand ax
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.