Sword

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: [sɔɹd]

Definitions

1. A long metal blade with a handle, used as a weapon for cutting or thrusting in combat or as a symbol of authority
2. A blade of metal with a hilt designed for slashing or piercing in battle
3. An elongated steel weapon featuring a grip and sharp edge, employed in combat or ceremonial purposes

Etymology: Old English "sweord" was the name for the blade itself, and its family tree reaches far beyond English. The same root produced the German "Schwert," the Dutch "zwaard," and the Swedish "svärd," all meaning sword. Its most surprising relatives, though, are in Slavic languages, where the same root gave words for "drill" and "drill bit": Russian "sverlo," Polish "świder," and Czech "svider." A sword and a boring tool share an ancestor, suggesting that the original idea was something sharp or piercing. That ancestor is reconstructed as a Proto-Germanic form, "swerdą," and it may trace back to a much older root meaning "sharp." The reconstruction is uncertain, so the exact original sense remains a matter of inference rather than documented fact.

Synonyms: blade, rapier, saber

Antonyms: shield