spade

English

/speɪd/

noun
Definitions
  • A garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for digging. Not to be confused with a shovel which is used for moving earth or other materials.
  • A playing card marked with the symbol ♠ (♠).
  • (offensive) A black person.
  • A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English spade inherited from Old English spada inherited from Proto-Germanic *spadǭ derived from Proto-Indo-European *sph₂-dʰ-.

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*sph₂-dʰ-

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms