kukri

American  

[kook-ree] / ˈkʊk ri /

noun

1. a large knife having a heavy curved blade that is sharp on the concave side, used by the Napalese Gurkhas for hunting and combat.

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kukri British  

/ ˈkʊkrɪ /

noun

1. a knife with a curved blade that broadens towards the point, esp as used by Gurkhas

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Etymology

Origin of kukri

First recorded in 1805–15, kukri is from the Hindi word kukṛī

Compare meaning

How does kukri compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• kukri vs. machete

Example Sentences

A kukri is a short sword with an angled blade that originated in South Asia.

From Seattle Times

The animal shares similarities with the common Kukri snake, a stripy, egg-eating reptile that isn’t venomous.

From Washington Post

When they took a closer look, they found that though the Insta-snakes looked a lot like the common Kukri, they had different scale structures and broader bands.

From Washington Post

Quincey raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at her intently, whilst Harker’s hand instinctively closed round the hilt of his Kukri.

From Literature

Along with their modern weapons, Gurkhas still carry the traditional “kukri,” a long curved knife which tradition says must “ragat khaikana” — taste blood — once it is drawn.

From Seattle Times