flathead

/ˈflætˌhɛd/
noun
  1. A type of screw with a flat top and a conical underside, designed to sit flush with the surface when driven in.
    • Use a flathead screwdriver to tighten the flathead screws on the hinge.
    • The flathead bolts were countersunk so the surface was smooth.
    • He replaced the old screws with flathead ones for a cleaner look.
  2. A type of screwdriver with a flat, wedge-shaped tip, used for turning flathead screws.
    • The flathead was too small for the screw, so he found a larger one.
    • A flathead is essential for any basic tool kit.
    • She grabbed a flathead to pry open the paint can.
  3. A person with a flat or unusually shaped head, sometimes used historically as a term for certain Native American tribes who practiced head flattening.
    • The museum exhibit explained the cultural practice of the flathead tribes.
    • Historical accounts mention the flathead people of the Pacific Northwest.
    • The term flathead was used by early explorers to describe some tribes.