sickle

[sik-uhl]

noun

1. an implement for cutting grain, grass, etc., consisting of a curved, hooklike blade mounted in a short handle.

2. Astronomy.,  Sickle, a group of stars in the constellation Leo, likened to this implement for its curved, sickle-like shape.

sickle

/ ˈsɪkəl /

noun

1. an implement for cutting grass, corn, etc, having a curved blade and a short handle

Word History and Origins

Origin of sickle¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English sikel, Old English sicol; cognate with Dutch zikkel, German Sichel, all ultimately derived from Latin secula, equivalent to sec(āre) “to cut” + -ula -ule

Word History and Origins

Origin of sickle¹

Old English sicol, from Latin sēcula; related to secāre to cut

Example Sentences

He said the peeling knife was his late grandmother's, the sickle had been purchased a decade ago and the trowel, which has a short blade and wooden handle, was a present.

From BBC

Once on the island they tear down a swastika and replace it with the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union.

From BBC

The most obvious way that a pair of blood-related parents might increase health risks for a child is through a recessive disorder, like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease.

From BBC

This results in red blood cells becoming sickle in shape and stiff and sticky - rather than flexible smooth discs.

From BBC

In a large hall Mr Syrankov addresses a small audience, flanked by his party's emblem, the hammer and sickle.

From BBC

Related Words

• bayonet 
• blade 
• cutter 
• dagger 
• machete 
• scalpel 
• skewer 
• sword