palstave

noun

pal·​stave

variants or less commonly palstaff

ˈpȯl+ˌ-

plural -s

: a usually bronze celt designed for a split handle

Word History

Etymology

Danish paalstav, from Old Norse pālstafr, a heavy missile, probably from pāll spade, hoe (from Old English pāl, from Latin pala) + stafr staff

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!