cinquedea

American

[ching-kwi-dee-uh, -dey-uh] / ˌtʃɪŋ kwɪˈdi ə, -ˈdeɪ ə /

noun

an Italian short sword of the late 15th and early 16th centuries having a broad, tapering blade, often richly ornamented.

Etymology

Origin of cinquedea

1895–1900; < Italian, equivalent to cinque five (≪ Latin quīnque ) + dea (dial.) fingers, akin to dito finger (< Latin digitus; digit )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the table cases in this room are odd portions of armour: gorgets, gauntlets, cuisshes, &c., daggers, knives, and swords, including good examples of the Cinquedea, or short broad-bladed sword peculiar to Northern Italy.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023