Poleaxe
/ˈpoʊlˌæks/noun
A heavy axe or hammer mounted on a long shaft, used historically as a weapon or tool.
Did you know?Despite the dramatic spelling, *poleaxe* is not a spooky compound with a hidden curse-name origin; it comes from a straightforward weapon term that developed in Middle English for a long-handled striking weapon used to break armor.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
æx
“axe, a cutting tool or weapon”
Middle English
ME
polax / pollax
“a weapon with an axe head on a long shaft”
15th Century
English
pole-axe
“a pole-mounted axe used in combat, especially against armored opponents”
Modern English
English
poleaxe
“a heavy axe or hammer on a long shaft; also a verb meaning to stun or knock down”