Espada
/esˈpaða/noun
A sword, especially in Spanish and Portuguese.
Did you know?Espada comes through Latin from a much older Mediterranean word for a sword; it’s a reminder that even polished romance-language words can hide a weaponized past.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Roman / Ancient Mediterranean
Pre-Latin
spatha
“A broad sword or blade”
Classical Latin
Latin
spatha
“A broad, flat sword”
Late Latin
Latin
spata
“Sword”
Old Spanish / Old Portuguese
Romance
espada
“Sword”
Modern Spanish / Portuguese
Spanish
espada
“Sword”