cutlass

or cut·las

[ kuht-luhs ]

noun

1. a short, heavy, slightly curved sword with a single cutting edge, formerly used by sailors.

cutlass

/ ˈkʌtləs /

noun

1. a curved, one-edged sword formerly used by sailors

Word History and Origins

Origin of cutlass¹

1585–95; earlier coutelace < Middle French coutelas, equivalent to coutel knife ( French couteau ) (< Latin cultellus; cultellus ) + -as augmentative suffix; cognate with Italian coltellaccio big knife; curtalax

Word History and Origins

Origin of cutlass¹

C16: from French coutelas, from coutel knife, from Latin cultellus a small knife, from culter knife; see coulter

Example Sentences

The Pirates are using a cutlass — think sword — for their celebration.

From Seattle Times

He had boarded the ship off the Cuban coast and committed the outrage using Jenkins's own cutlass.

From Salon

He'd swapped his old, flabby shape for that of a lion the size of a rhino, fangs the length of cutlasses, and claws that could tear through tanks as if they were tin.

From Literature

He hiked 2 kilometers early every morning to retrieve water from a river, wielded hoe and cutlass to tend crops, trekked to Lagos for school, then topped off the day hawking.

From Science Magazine

The occasional meat came from the wild animals Mr. Brunswijk and his brothers stalked with cutlasses.

From New York Times

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