saber

American  

[sey-ber] / ˈseɪ bər /

especially British, sabre

noun

1. a heavy, one-edged sword, usually slightly curved, used especially by cavalry.

2. a soldier armed with such a sword.

3. Fencing.

   1. a sword having two cutting edges and a blunt point.

   2. the art or sport of fencing with the saber, with the target being limited to the head, trunk, and arms, and hits being made with the front edge and the upper part of the back edge of the sword and by thrusts.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to strike, wound, or kill with a saber.

saber British  

/ ˈseɪbə /

noun

1. the US spelling of sabre

---

Other Word Forms

• saberlike adjective
• unsabered adjective

Etymology

Origin of saber

First recorded in 1670–80; from French sabre, sable, from German Sabel (now Säbel ), earlier sewel, schebel, from Polish szabla; compare Czech šavle, Serbo-Croatian sȁblja, Russian sáblya “sword, saber,” perhaps all ultimately from Hungarian szablya, though derivation and transmission uncertain

Example Sentences

Mr. Putin has long attempted to wield the threat of using nuclear weapons as leverage, and his plan to station weapons in Belarus — a prospect he first floated last year — could be saber rattling.

From New York Times

Bahrain’s crown prince gave a $12,000 saber, and the Emir of Qatar also presented a $35,000 dagger that went unreported.

From Washington Times

Now, with Russia’s savage invasion of Ukraine dominating the news and Vladimir Putin rattling his nuclear sabers, we are reminded that the civilized world is just one miscalculation – or one powerful man – away from destruction.

From Seattle Times

This is not the first time Putin has rattled the nuclear saber.

From Scientific American

What makes “The Adam Project” unique is its grounded aesthetic, the woodsy, organic landscape of the Pacific Northwest offering a backdrop for the super high-tech futuristic weapons of invisible planes and light saber bow staffs.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• sword