Warhammer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A substantial weapon used in fighting that features a heavy striking head for delivering forceful blows
2. A formidable instrument of combat utilized for inflicting damage, characterized by its robust design and hammer-like head
3. A large melee weapon designed to inflict powerful blows using a heavy hammer-shaped head

Etymology: A warhammer is, quite literally, a war hammer: a compound of "war" and "hammer," with the first element naming its purpose and the second its shape. The combination describes a weapon that is a hammer used in battle, as opposed to a tool used at a forge or a carpenter's bench. The weapon's design followed from that plain idea. A typical warhammer pairs a wooden or metal shaft with a head that has a striking face on one end and, often, a spike, pick or claw on the other. Those heads were meant to crush or pierce armour that a blade might only dent, which is why the form remained in use long after swords had become the symbol of the knight. The compound itself is transparent, so the interest lies in the tool rather than the word. Because the name simply joins two everyday English nouns, it needed no borrowing from another language to describe the thing it names.

Synonyms: battle hammer, war mallet