Excalibur

American  

[ek-skal-uh-ber] / ɛkˈskæl ə bər /

noun

1. Arthurian Legend. the magic sword of King Arthur.

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Excalibur British  

/ ɛkˈskælɪbə /

noun

1. (in Arthurian legend) the magic sword of King Arthur

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Excalibur Cultural  

1. The sword of King Arthur (see also Arthur). In one version of the legends of Arthur, he proved his right to rule by pulling Excalibur out of a stone. In another version, he received Excalibur from a maiden, the Lady of the Lake, to whom he returned it at the end of his life.

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Etymology

Origin of Excalibur

C14: from Old French Escalibor, from Medieval Latin Caliburnus, from Welsh Caledvwlch, perhaps related to Irish Caladbolg a legendary sword (literally: hard belly, hence, voracious)

Example Sentences

Sometimes he’s just out there for fun, but often he’s wielding his submersible Excalibur II metal detector to salvage someone’s destination wedding.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

It will be an in-demand piece of equipment, but it’s not quite as unique as King Arthur’s Excalibur.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

Excalibur said the figure came with its original instructions and had never been offered for sale since it was bought in 1979.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025

The reports, first revealed by The Washington Post, focus on the American-made Excalibur, a 155-millimeter guided artillery shell, and the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb or GLSDB.

From New York Times • May 25, 2024

That song by UB40 called “One in Ten” thumped up through the bones of the Hotel Excalibur.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell