machete
Americannoun
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a large heavy knife used especially in Latin American countries in cutting sugarcane and clearing underbrush and as a weapon.
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a tarpon, Elops affinis, of the eastern Pacific Ocean, having an elongated, compressed body.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of machete
First recorded in 1575–1600; < Spanish, equivalent to mach(o) “mallet” ( cf. mace 1) + -ete noun suffix ( see -et ( def. ))
Compare meaning
How does machete compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A machete is a huge, heavy, powerful knife, used mainly in Central and South America. A machete is great for cutting vegetation, but you wouldn't want to confront one in a dark alley. Many things in life have a nice use and a not-so-nice use. That's especially true of the machete. This enormous knife would look out of place at the dinner table, but for a farmer, it’s a huge help in cutting down vegetation or clearing brush. In the hands of a criminal, a machete is a terrifying weapon. Some criminal groups are known for their use of the machete and its scary power to slice through a victim.
Vocabulary lists containing machete
A Long Walk to Water
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Life Is So Good
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Clap When You Land
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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:
Cuellar identified the man who allegedly wielded the machete as Cornell Richardson, 32.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
In his field, just a stone's throw from his house, Kone still works only with a machete and wears open-toed shoes.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
Mr Amin said they had found crucial evidence in the suspect's house, including 10 phones, a laptop, machete, identity cards and personal female clothing.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2024
Ogou Je Wouj is a manifestation of the god of war and is believed to wield a machete.
From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2024
Nailer glanced over at Blue Eyes, who was sharpening a new machete.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
Besides pulling off dozens of ticks, Bardwell recalled the main challenge being “wait-a-minute vines,” made tougher by cheap, ineffective machetes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
The ban covers machetes, which are broadly defined as "knives with a cutting blade longer than 20cm".
From BBC ● May 26, 2025
In September 2024, the government introduced legislation making it an imprisonable offence to own or sell zombie-style knives and machetes.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2025
The Home Office underestimated how many zombie knives and machetes would be surrendered ahead of a recent ban, documents show.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2024
Slaves were given long, sharp machetes, which would be their equipment—but for some also their weapons—until the harvest was done.
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
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.
