A spear is a weapon with a long wooden shaft and a sharp pointed tip, designed for throwing or thrusting at a target. For most of human history, the spear was humanity's most important hunting and fighting tool. Early humans used spears to hunt mammoths and protect themselves from predators. Warriors in ancient armies carried spears into battle, and hunters used them to bring down deer, boar, and other game.

The spear's design is brilliantly simple: the long shaft gives you reach and leverage, while the sharp tip concentrates all your force into a single point. You can throw a spear to hit something far away, or hold it steady to keep a dangerous animal at bay. Soldiers in ancient Greece, Rome, and countless other civilizations relied on spears as their primary weapon.

Today, some athletes compete in spear throwing, called the javelin, and a few traditional cultures still hunt with spears. The word also works as a verb: you might spear a piece of lettuce with your fork, or a hockey player might spear the puck away from an opponent. Spearhead, the sharp tip at the end, can also describe someone leading an effort: the scientist who spearheads a research project is the one driving it forward.