falx -- from Latin falcatus "sickle-shaped, hooked, curved," from falcem, (nominative falx) "sickle," which is of uncertain origin

-ist -- word-forming element meaning "one who does or makes," also used to indicate adherence to a certain doctrine or custom

Falx is a Latin term that originated from the word for "sickle," a tool commonly used in agriculture for harvesting crops. The word falx later came to refer to a variety of tools and weapons that had a curved blade that was sharp on the inside edge, similar in shape to a sickle.

One of the most famous weapons associated with the term falx was the weapon of choice for the Thracians and Dacians, who were ancient peoples that inhabited the Balkan region of Europe. The Thracian and Dacian falx was a two-handed weapon that had a long, curved blade that could inflict devastating wounds on its enemies.

The Roman army adopted the falx as a siege hook, a tool used to breach fortifications and dismantle obstacles. The falx hook allowed the Roman soldiers to tear down walls, gates, and other obstacles during a siege.

In Latin literature, the weapon was often referred to as an ensis falcatus, which is the root of the word falcata, a term used to describe the weapon in modern-day scholarship. The Roman poet Ovid referenced the ensis falcatus in his work "Metamorphoses," while Juvenal, another Roman poet, referred to the weapon as a falx supina in his work "Satiriae".