ice ax

noun

: a combination pick and adze with a spiked handle that is used in mountain climbing

Illustration of ice ax

Illustration of ice ax

Examples of ice ax in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Every day in Cambridge Bay, after three or four hours of flooding, the team used an ice ax to hack each pump out of its hole. Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 May 2025 Don't follow the guy with the harness on outside of his ski pants Mirna: ice, and the ice ax. Outside Online, 14 May 2025 There’s a slot for a hydration pack or laptop, and an ice ax loop can hold walking poles. Christopher Murray, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Searchers in a helicopter spotted a jacket and an ice ax believed to belong to the men. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 6 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ice ax

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ice ax was circa 1800

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Cite this Entry

“Ice ax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ice%20ax. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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