From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpickaxepick‧axe British English, pickax American English /ˈpɪk-æks/ noun [countable] TZa large tool that you use for breaking up the ground. It consists of a curved iron bar with a sharp point on each end and a long handle.
Examples from the Corpus
pickaxe• Two campesinos passed, a pickaxe sticking out of one of their bundles.• Laing used a pickaxe and shovel to make the grave in the secluded garden, said Mr Stuart-Moore.• Another boy is hitting the ground with a pickaxe, while a third is holding on to some blue plastic sheeting.• Before running off with the dough the men beat my arms with pickaxe handles. 