anvil
anvil Lexical Profile
anvil Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A heavy iron or steel block with a flat top, concave sides, and typically a pointed horn, on which hot metals are shaped by hammering.
"The blacksmith brought the glowing horseshoe down on the anvil and struck it firmly with a heavy hammer."
A tiny bone in the middle ear of mammals that transmits sound vibrations from the malleus (hammer) to the stapes (stirrup); scientifically known as the incus.
"Sound waves travel through the ear canal and vibrate the eardrum, which then moves the hammer, anvil, and stirrup to process the noise."
The flat, spreading top of a cumulonimbus cloud, often signaling a severe or approaching thunderstorm.
"As the afternoon heat intensified, a massive thunderhead developed an imposing anvil that cast a dark shadow over the valley."
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'anfilte', originating from Germanic roots related to 'striking' or 'beating against'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.