NYT Dictionary

HATCHET

/ˈhæt͡ʃɪt/
NounVerbHATCH-ethatch-et · 2 syllablesGrade 3

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A small, light axe with a short handle; a tomahawk.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English hachet, a borrowing from Old French hachete, diminutive of hache (“axe”), from Vulgar Latin *happia, from Frankish *happjā, from Proto-Germanic *hapjǭ, *habjǭ (“knife”), from Proto-Indo-European *kop- (“to strike, to beat”). Cognate with Old High German happa, heppa, habba (“reaper, sickle”), German Hippe (“billhook”), Dutch heep, hiep (“billhook”), and Ancient Greek κοπίς (kopís). Mostly displaced native Old English handæx, whence Modern English hand axe.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

tomahawkaxadzbushwhackerchaserchiselcleaverclipperclippersdagger

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 7 recorded puzzles:

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