sword

American  

[sawrd, sohrd] / sɔrd, soʊrd /

noun

1. a weapon having various forms but consisting typically of a long, straight or slightly curved blade, sharp-edged on one or both sides, with one end pointed and the other fixed in a hilt or handle.

2. this weapon as the symbol of military power, punitive justice, authority, etc..

   The pen is mightier than the sword.

3. a cause of death or destruction.

4. war, combat, slaughter, or violence, especially military force or aggression.

   to perish by the sword.

5. Military. Sword. the code name for one of the five D-Day invasion beaches on France's Normandy coast, assaulted by British forces.

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idioms

1. at swords' points, mutually antagonistic or hostile; opposed.

   Father and son are constantly at swords' point.

2. put to the sword, to slay; execute.

   The entire population of the town was put to the sword.

3. cross swords,

   1. to engage in combat; fight.

   2. to disagree violently; argue.

      The board members crossed swords in the selection of a president.

sword British  

/ sɔːd /

noun

1. a thrusting, striking, or cutting weapon with a long blade having one or two cutting edges, a hilt, and usually a crosspiece or guard

2. such a weapon worn on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of authority

3. something resembling a sword, such as the snout of a swordfish

4. to argue or fight

5. 1. violence or power, esp military power

   2. death; destruction

      to put to the sword

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sword More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing sword

• at sword's point
• cross swords

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Other Word Forms

• swordless adjective
• swordlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of sword

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sweord; cognate with Dutch zwaard, German Schwert, Old Norse sverth

Explanation

A sword is a weapon with a long, sharp, metal blade. If you want to dress up as a knight for Halloween, you'll definitely need a sword — and maybe a suit of armor. Swords evolved from daggers, which, like knives, have two sharp edges instead of just one. Some time during the Bronze Age, daggers became longer and longer, eventually being classified as swords. These long, sharp weapons were used by soldiers on battlefields, and for self-defense and dueling. Sword can be traced back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut or pierce."

Example Sentences

It also was a place with "no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialisation of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness."

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

In turn, Kim gave Lukashenko a sword and a vase featuring a portrait of the Belarusian leader.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Gellar wields a double-edged sword: “Buffy” helped shape the landscape of modern TV, but it’s because the show was and is so popular that the role sticks to her no matter where she goes.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

For nearly a century, the Oscar statuette has been Hollywood’s most enduring symbol of success, a gold-plated knight gripping a crusader’s sword, designed to look as permanent as the honor it represents.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Watching Autumn charging forward, swinging a sword at a god for me.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• blade
• dagger
• weapon