What does haft mean?
“Haft” refers to the handle or shaft of an axe or a similar tool or weapon. It is especially associated with the long wooden grip of an axe, although it can also describe the handle of a knife, screwdriver, or other implement. The word has a traditional, slightly old-fashioned quality and is most often encountered in literature, historical writing, crafts, and discussions of tools. In everyday speech, “handle” is normally more natural, while “shaft” may be used for the projecting rod or stem of an object. A related rare verb, “haft,” means to furnish something with a handle or attach a handle to it. Knowing “haft” is useful because it names a precise component of a tool that is otherwise often described only as its handle, and because it preserves a distinctive strand of English vocabulary inherited from Old English.
The handle, grip, or shaft of an axe or another tool or weapon.
"The carpenter replaced the damaged haft of his hammer."
Chiefly literary, historical, or specialized; “handle” is more common in ordinary modern usage.
To furnish with a handle or attach a handle to.
"The maker hafted each tool with a carefully shaped wooden handle."
Rare and chiefly historical or highly formal.
The standard plural is “hafts,” though the singular is more usual because “haft” often functions attributively in phrases such as “axe haft.”
"The workshop displayed several antique axe hafts behind the counter."
A haft is the part of an axe you hold—not the part that bites.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does haft come from?
“Haft” comes from Old English hæft, meaning “handle” or “shaft,” and passed into English through Middle English. It is cognate with related Germanic words including German Heft and Dutch heft, both associated with a handle or grip. The English noun developed a specialized use for the handle of an axe and other tools, while the verb “to haft” is now rare.
Related word forms
How haft is actually used
As a noun, “haft” is chiefly literary, historical, or specialized; in ordinary modern use, “handle” or “shaft” is more common. The verb is rare and chiefly belongs to older or highly formal usage.
Easily confused with haft
A haft is the handle or shaft of a tool or weapon, whereas heft means weight or lifting force.