sickle

views updated May 23 2018

sick·le / ˈsikəl/ • n. a short-handled farming tool with a semicircular blade, used for cutting grain, lopping, or trimming.ORIGIN: Old English sicol, sicel, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch sikkel and German Sichel, based on Latin secula, from secare ‘to cut.’

sickle

sickle

views updated May 23 2018

sickle OE. sicol, sicel = MLG., MDu. sekele, sikele (Du. zikkel), OHG. sichila (G. sichel) — var. *sicila of L. secula, f. secāre cut.

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