spear

¹ American  

[speer] / spɪər /

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.

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

4. the act of spearing.

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adjective

1. spear side.

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.

spear ² American  

[speer] / spɪər /

noun

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

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verb (used without object)

1. to sprout; shoot; send up or rise in a spear or spears.

spear ¹ British  

/ 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

3. another name for spearman

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verb

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

spear ² British  

/ spɪə /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• spearer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of spear¹

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

Origin of spear²

First recorded in 1640–50; variant of spire ¹, perhaps influenced by spear ¹

Explanation

A spear consists of a long shaft that has a sharp point at one end. You might use one to go spear fishing, but that's about it. Spears are no longer the weapon of choice. Spear also refers to the action of impaling something or someone with a spear. “Odysseus blinded the Cyclops by jamming a huge spear into its eye.” In addition to the long-shafted, pointy spear that people throw, spear is the name for the sprout of a plant. In the vegetable world, separate stalks of asparagus are called spears.

Example Sentences

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Operation Southern Spear is aimed at removing "narco-terrorists from our hemisphere" and securing the US from "the drugs that are killing our people".

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

The Florida native was assisting Operation Southern Spear, which has carried out 38 lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean since September.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

Nvidia is a good option because robots need chips and training, says Ivana Delevska, portfolio manager of the Spear Alpha ETF, or SPRX.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

Moskowitz said the aide, Stefanie Spear, said $1.5 million had been set aside in the assistant secretary of health’s office for the effort.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Chamber- lain took the reins, woke Ellis Spear, told him to take over.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

Related Words

• bayonet
• blade
• dart
• harpoon
• skewer