Trowel \Trow"el\, n. [OE. truel, OF. truele, F. truelle, LL. truella, L. trulla, dim. of trua a ladle; probably akin to Gr. ? a stirrer, ladle, G. quirl a stirrer, MHG. twirel, OHG. dwiril, Icel. [thorn]vara, AS. [thorn]wiril. Cf. Twirl.]

1. A mason's tool, used in spreading and dressing mortar, and breaking bricks to shape them.

2. A gardener's tool, somewhat like a scoop, used in taking up plants, stirring the earth, etc.

3. (Founding) A tool used for smoothing a mold.

Trowel bayonet. See Spade bayonet, under Spade.

Fish trowel. See Fish slice, under Fish.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)