spade

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈspād 

1

: a digging implement adapted for being pushed into the ground with the foot

2

: a spade-shaped instrument

spadeful

ˈspād-ˌfu̇l 

noun

spade

2 of 3

verb

spaded; spading

transitive verb

: to dig up or out or shape with or as if with a spade

intransitive verb

: to use a spade

spader noun

spade

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

a

: a black figure that resembles a stylized spearhead on each playing card of one of the four suits

also : a card marked with this figure

b

spades plural in form but singular or plural in construction : the suit comprising cards marked with spades

2

offensive

—used as an insulting and contemptuous term for a Black person

Phrases

in spades

: to an unusually great degree : in the extreme

Examples of spade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

When Oli Kay took on that topic yesterday — effectively asking if the Premier League was becoming harder to enjoy — comments beneath his column landed in spades. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

In retrospect, Hamas achieved this goal in spades, focusing its funds on providing for its supporters, building grassroots support, and underwriting its militant activities. —Matthew Levitt, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2025

Verb

Use a spading fork to dig tubers on a sunny day when the soil is dry. —Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 29 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, going back to Old English spadu, spædu, spade (plural spadan), going back to Germanic *spaðōn- (whence also Old Saxon spado "digging implement, spade," Old Frisian spada, early Modern German Spaten, Icelandic spaði), akin to Greek spáthē "any of various blade-like implements or objects," both going back to Indo-European *sph₂-dh-, perhaps a suffixed derivative of the verbal base *speh₂- "draw, pull out" — more at spasm

Note: Hittite išpann-, išpatar "spit, skewer" has also been compared, though according to Jaan Puhvel the stem would reflect *speh₂-tr- rather than *speh₂-dhr- (see Hittite Etymological Dictionary, vol. 1/2, pp. 450-51). Probably also relevant are Sanskrit sphya- "shoulder blade," Khotanese phvai "spade, shovel," perhaps reflecting *sph₂-i-o- (for further Indo-Iranian forms see Manfred Mayrhofer, Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen, 3. Band, p. 547; H.W. Bailey, Dictionary of Khotan Saka, Cambridge, 1979, p. 264).

Verb

verbal derivative of spade entry 1

Noun (2)

Italian spada or Spanish espada broadsword; both from Latin spatha, from Greek spathē blade

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1647, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing spade

• call a spade a spade
• spade beard

Rhymes for spade

• aid
• aide
• bade
• blade
• braid
• clade
• dade
• fade
• flayed
• fraid
• frayed
• gade

Kids Definition

spade

1 of 3 noun

ˈspād 

1

: a digging tool like a shovel made so that it can be pushed into the ground with the foot

2

: a spade-shaped instrument

spadeful

-ˌfu̇l 

noun

spade

2 of 3 verb

spaded; spading

: to dig with or use a spade

spade

3 of 3 noun

1

: a black figure resembling an inverted heart with a short stem at the bottom used to indicate a suit of playing cards

2

: a card of the suit of spades

Etymology

Noun

Old English spadu "a digging tool"

Noun

from Italian spada or Spanish espada, both meaning "broad sword" and both from Latin spatha "blade"