pitchfork

noun

pitch·​fork ˈpich-ˌfȯrk How to pronounce pitchfork (audio)
: a long-handled fork that has two or three long somewhat curved prongs and is used especially in pitching hay
pitchfork transitive verb

Examples of pitchfork 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.
To top off their looks, Hailey carried a pitchfork and Jenner, a dog. Catherine Santino, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 When kindly suburban businesswoman Peg (Dianne West) takes him in, Edward's soft heart and artistic skills win over her family — particularly her teenage daughter (Winona Ryder) — but the very hands that create beauty also stir fear, causing the neighbors to sharpen their pitchforks. Catherine Santino, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024 People gather expectantly on the streets or gaze from their windows, and then the performers arrive, all garbed in red devil costumes, complete with horns and pitchforks covered in sparkling fireworks. Matt Ralphs, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024 Aerating the lawn and bare areas first with a lawn service or your own pitchfork or hand aerator allows grass seeds to go directly into the root areas for better germination. Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pitchfork 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pitchfork was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near pitchfork

Cite this Entry

“Pitchfork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitchfork. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

pitchfork

noun
pitch·​fork ˈpich-ˌfȯ(ə)rk How to pronounce pitchfork (audio)
: a tool with a long handle and usually two to five metal prongs that is used especially in pitching hay
pitchfork verb

More from Merriam-Webster on pitchfork

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!