a tool with a flat blade and long handle used for digging or moving earth, snow, or other materials.
From Old English 'scofl,' related to Old High German 'scufla.' The word may derive from an Indo-European root meaning 'to push' or 'to shove'—the shovel pushes material along the ground.
The word 'shovel' might come from the same root as 'shove'—both involve pushing! It's like the tool's name describes exactly what your body does when using it, making it a word that feels like an action.
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