glaive

English

/ɡleɪv/

noun
Definitions
  • (obsolete) A light lance with a long, sharp-pointed head.
  • (historical) A weapon consisting of a pole with a large blade fixed on the end, the edge of which is on the outside curve.
  • (loosely) A sword, particularly a broadsword.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English glaive (spear, sometimes also given to the winner as a prize, lance used as a winning post in a race, weapon with a long shaft ending in a point blade, lance) borrowed from Old French glaive (lance, sword) derived from Latin gladius (sword, gladius, Roman short sword) derived from Proto-Celtic *kladiwos (sword) derived from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₂- (beat, break, strike, hew), *kelh₂- (beat, break, strike, hew).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*kelh₂-

Gloss

beat, break, strike, hew

Concept
Semantic Field

Quantity

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji
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Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms