scythe

1 of 2

noun

ˈsīṯẖ  ˈsī 

: an implement used for mowing grass, grain, or other crops and composed of a long curving blade fastened at an angle to a long handle

Illustration of scythe

scythe

2 of 2

verb

scythed; scything

intransitive verb

: to use a scythe

transitive verb

: to cut with or as if with a scythe

scything cornstalks

Examples of scythe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Avenging Cossacks waited to skewer enemy soldiers on their long lances; Russian peasants simply slaughtered them with scythes. —Antony Beevor, Foreign Affairs, 29 Dec. 2022

The other artifacts the research team found illustrate the ancient Celts’ proclivity for animal husbandry and farming: Blades from shears might have been used to cut sheeps’ wool, and scythes might have cut grain or grass. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024

Verb

It’s farmed using traditional methods — scythed by hand and visited each autumn by Shropshire sheep. —Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2023

One fun way to encourage kids to get out into the heart of a meadow area and witness its wildlife and plants up close is to mow or scythe a maze into it that kids can run or walk through. —Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 27 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sithe, from Old English sīthe; akin to Old English sagu saw — more at saw

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

scythe

noun

ˈsīt͟h,

sī

: a tool that has a curved blade on a long curved handle and is used for mowing grass or grain by hand