spear

1
[ speer ]
See synonyms for spear on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a long, stabbing weapon for thrusting or throwing, consisting of a wooden shaft to which a sharp-pointed head, as of iron or steel, is attached.

  2. a soldier or other person armed with such a weapon; spearman: an army of 40,000 spears.

  1. a similar weapon or stabbing implement, as one for use in fishing.

  2. the act of spearing.

adjective
verb (used with object)
  1. to pierce with or as with a spear.

verb (used without object)
  1. to go or penetrate like a spear: The plane speared through the clouds.

Origin of spear

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun spere, sper(re), Old English spere; cognate with Dutch, German speer

Other words from spear

  • spearer, noun

Other definitions for spear (2 of 2)

spear2
[ speer ]

noun
  1. a sprout or shoot of a plant, as a blade of grass or an acrospire of grain.

verb (used without object)
  1. to sprout; shoot; send up or rise in a spear or spears.

Origin of spear

2
First recorded in 1640–50; variant of spire1, perhaps influenced by spear1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use spear in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spear (1 of 2)

spear1

/ (spɪə) /


noun
  1. a weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharp pointed end of metal, stone, or wood that may be thrown or thrust

  2. a similar implement used to catch fish

  1. another name for spearman

verb
  1. to pierce (something) with or as if with a spear

Origin of spear

1
Old English spere; related to Old Norse spjör spears, Greek sparos gilthead

Derived forms of spear

  • spearer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for spear (2 of 2)

spear2

/ (spɪə) /


noun
  1. a shoot, slender stalk, or blade, as of grass, asparagus, or broccoli

Origin of spear

2
C16: probably variant of spire 1, influenced by spear 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012