kirpan

[ kir-pahn ]

/ kɪrˈpɑn /

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noun

a small dagger worn by orthodox Sikhs.

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Origin of kirpan

1900–05; <Punjabi and Hindi <Sanskrit kṛpāṇa sword

Words nearby kirpan

Kirov, Kirovabad, Kirovakan, Kirovograd, Kirovohrad, kirpan, Kirribilli House, Kir Royale, kirsch, Kirstein, Kirsten

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use kirpan in a sentence

On his belt, along with his pistol, he wore the little kirpan, the dagger all Sikhs carry.
Four-Day Planet|Henry Beam Piper
After all, a kirpan was a sidearm, and his religion required him to carry that.
Four-Day Planet|Henry Beam Piper

British Dictionary definitions for kirpan

Kirpan

/ (kɪrˈpɑːn) /

noun

the short sword traditionally carried by Sikhs as a symbol of their religious and cultural loyalty, symbolizing protection for the weakSee also five Ks

Word Origin for Kirpan

Punjabi kirpān

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012