Scimitars

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sword featuring a pronounced curve and an edge designed for slicing, commonly linked to historical martial practices in East and South Asia
2. This type of weapon showcases a curved blade optimized for cutting, historically prevalent in the fighting traditions of various cultures
3. A type of sword with a sharply curved, single-edged blade made for slashing in combat

Etymology: "Scimitars" is the plural of "scimitar," so the history belongs to the singular. The English word first appears in 1548, but it reached English by a winding route. Middle French had "cimeterre" by the 15th century, and English may have taken the word directly from Italian "scimitarra," which is itself linked to an unknown Ottoman Turkish word. The root traces back to Classical Persian "šamšēr," meaning simply "sword." That same Persian word also gave rise to "shamshir," a doublet of "scimitar" that entered English through a separate path. Two English words from one Persian source, arriving by different roads, is a nice reminder of how far a blade's name can travel through trade and conquest.

Synonyms: sabers, cutlasses