bat·tle-ax
| \ ˈba-tᵊl-ˌaks
\
\
variants:
or battle-axe
Definition of battle-ax
1
: a broadax formerly used as a weapon of war
2
: a usually older woman who is sharp-tongued, domineering, or combative
Learn More About battle-ax
Statistics for battle-ax
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Battle-ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battle-ax. Accessed 28 May. 2022.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Great Words for Scrabble
-
- Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
-
You're (Probably) Saying It Wrong
18 words even you might be mispronouncing
-
Great Big List of Beautiful & Useless Words
Along with their degrees of usefulness
-
12 French Phrases from Downton Abbey
Many of us have an 'idée fixe'
-
Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 2
Sometimes a 'cacafuego' can be a real 'slubberdeg...
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
What’s on the Menu?
Sink your teeth into these questions about food.
Take the quiz
-
The Great British Vocabulary Quiz
Make sure you know the difference between a loo a...
Take the quiz
-
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz
"Most Likely to Use Obscure Words"
Take the quiz
-
Lexigo
Find the hidden words by solving the clues
Take the quiz
Share battle-ax
Time Traveler for battle-ax
The first known use of battle-ax was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century