Cutlass
/ˈkʌt.ləs/noun
A short, broad sword with a slightly curved blade, especially one used at sea.
Did you know?Cutlass likely came into English through French forms related to a curved sword, and its name became iconic in the age of naval boarding actions—where one short blade could decide a ship’s fate.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
cutelas
“A short sword or sabre-like blade”
16th Century
French
coutelas
“A large knife or short sword”
Late Latin
Late Latin
cultellus
“A small knife”
Classical Latin
Latin
cultellus
“Small knife, diminutive of culter”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kel-
“To cut, strike, or split”