Rapier

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹeɪpˌɪə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A thin, sharply pointed sword designed for thrusting attacks rather than cutting ; a person characterized by a quick and sharp way of speaking or writing, often witty or clever
2. A lightweight sword with a narrow blade intended for precise stabbing rather than slashing ; an individual known for their swift, penetrating verbal or written expression
3. A long, slender sword with a pointed tip used in dueling or fencing ; someone who communicates rapidly and incisively, often with clever or biting remarks

Etymology: The rapier's name comes from a tool that scraped rather than stabbed. Its ancestor word, Spanish "raspadera", meant a poker or scraper, and it came from "raspar", "to scrape". The link to "rasp" is a true cousin: both trace back to a Germanic source, so the sword and the file share a root that has nothing to do with fencing. The word reached English through French. Old French had "raspiere" or "rapiere", and Middle French used the phrase "espee rapiere", meaning a sword of that kind, before the noun stood alone. English took it from there, so the modern sense of a long, thin thrusting blade came into the language from a French name for a sword that was itself borrowed from a Spanish word for a scraping implement.

Synonyms: sword, blade, weapon, cutlass, foil