marteau

French

Etymology

Back-formation from Old French marteaus, plural of martel, from Late Latin martellus, from martulus, variant form of marculus, diminutive of Latin marcus, or from malleus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maʁ.to/

• audio:

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Noun

marteau m (plural marteaux)

1. A hammer used for pounding.
2. A machine tool working by pounding.
3. A hammer-shaped tool used to hit thing, such as a gavel.
4. A rapper; a door knocker.
5. (music) A piano or dulcimer hammer.
6. (anatomy) The malleus.
7. (athletics) A throwing hammer.
8. (technical) A hammer with bas relief marks used to imprint on wood, leather etc.
9. (curling) Advantage of throwing the last stone.
10. (clockmaking) A piece that strikes the bell in a clock.

Hyponyms

Tool for pounding or stricking

• asseau
• besaiguë
• boucharde
• châsse
• ferratier
• maillet
• mailloche

• masse
• massetter
• matoir
• merlin
• rustique
• smille

Derived terms

Derived terms

• entre le marteau et l’enclume
• marteau à réflexes
• marteau d’armes
• marteau-pilon

• marteau-piolet
• marteau-piqueur
• requin-marteau

Related terms

Related terms

• martelage
• martèlement
• marteler

• marteleur
• se mettre martel en tête

Adjective

marteau (plural marteaux)

1. (dated, informal) crazy; deranged

Further reading

• “marteau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• amateur