Backswords

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Bladed weapons with a cutting edge on one side and a flat or blunt back on the other, used historically in combat; types of swords designed for slashing rather than thrusting; single-edged swords with a reinforced back to improve strength and control
2. Swords characterized by a single sharp edge opposite a dull back, traditionally employed for cutting during battle; one-edged cutting weapons with a sturdier, unsharpened spine; blades crafted for effective slicing with protected back edges to prevent injury or damage
3. Edged weapons featuring a sharp blade on one side and a blunt, thick back edge to enhance durability; combat swords intended mainly for slashing rather than piercing; single-edged arms with a flattened reverse side for balance and safety

Etymology: "Backswords" is the plural of "backsword", a sword whose name simply says what it is: a sword with a back. The "back" is the thick, unsharpened edge opposite the cutting edge, which gave the blade strength and a safer, more controllable weight when used for slashing blows. The naming logic is shared across Germanic languages. German speakers call a single-edged blade a "Rückenklinge", built on the same idea of a blade with a back, and Swedish uses "enback", literally "single-back", for a related type of weapon, the seax. Each language reached for the same visible feature of the weapon and named the whole object after it.

Synonyms: swords, cutlasses, sabers, broadswords, rapiers