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
Etymology
Origin of machete
First recorded in 1575–1600; < Spanish, equivalent to mach(o) “mallet” ( mace 1 ) + -ete noun suffix ( -et ( def. ) )
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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.
As the two old men told their stories, a youngster brushed past them, a machete slung over his shoulder.
From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026
Ogou Je Wouj is a manifestation of the god of war and is believed to wield a machete.
From Seattle Times • May 9, 2024
Searcher goes from proclaiming, “I’m not my father,” and shaming Jaeger for giving him a machete on his second birthday to bonding with his dad.
From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024
The London-born actor says a planned law change to ban all zombie knives and machete sales need to be fast-tracked.
From BBC • Jan. 8, 2024
Don Berto, Juanita’s grandfather, lived in a shed behind Juanita’s house, and every time I saw him he was sitting on its front steps sharpening his machete.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
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.
