kirpan
noun
a small dagger worn by orthodox Sikhs.
kirpan
American
[kir-pahn]
/ kɪrˈpɑn /
noun
Kirpan
British
/ kɪrˈpɑːn /
noun
Etymology
Origin of kirpan
1900–05; < Punjabi and Hindi < Sanskrit kṛpāṇa sword
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.
See Examples For:
The Sikh Federation has said the larger blade carried by Digwa was not a kirpan, one of the articles of faith carried by Sikhs.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
Digwa, a Sikh, was carrying both a small sheathed dagger, known as a kirpan, and a second larger dagger in his belt, which is worn by some Sikhs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
The “articles of faith” that Sikhs wear include: kesh, or unshorn hair; kanga, a small comb; a steel bracelet called a kara; the kirpan, which resembles a small knife; and underwear known as kachera.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 11, 2023
Many male Ravidassia members wear long hair in a turban and carry Sikh articles of faith such as the kada or bracelet, kangha or wooden comb and kirpan, the sheathed, single-edged knife.
From Seattle Times ● May 29, 2023
After all, a kirpan was a sidearm, and his religion required him to carry that.
From Four-Day Planet by H. Beam Piper
Under current legislation, practising Sikh's have a legal defence for wearing a small, curved blade, known as a Kirpan, close to their body for religious purposes.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
The federation said it believed the large blade used by Digwa "was not the normal Kirpan worn by fully practising Sikhs".
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
Under current legislation, a practising Sikh may wear a small, curved blade, known as a Kirpan, close to the body but drawing it in an act of aggression is illegal.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
The statement said: "Fully practising Sikhs who wear a Kirpan should continue to recognise the serious responsibility that accompanies it, together with the limited legal protection that exists for wearing it for genuine religious purposes."
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
It said the wider Sikh community had "faced considerable abuse and hate during the trial" claiming that many do not "understand the law" or "significance" of the Kirpan.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
