rapier
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Middle French rapiere, from Middle French (espee) rapiere, from Old French rapiere, raspiere, from Spanish raspadera (“poker; raker; scraper”), from Spanish raspar (“to scrape”), of Germanic origin. More at rasp.
Pronunciation
Noun
rapier (plural rapiers)
- A slender, straight, sharply pointed sword (double-edged, single-edged or edgeless), designed predominantly for thrusting; used during the Renaissance period of Europe for civilian duelling
- c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
- […] In his lawless fit,
Behind the arras hearing something stir,
Whips out his rapier, cries ‘A rat, a rat!’
And in this brainish apprehension kills
The unseen good old man.
- 1911, G. K. Chesterton, “The Sins of Prince Saradine”, in The Innocence of Father Brown:
- The man beside him with the earrings and the big black case proceeded to unlock it. He took out of it two long Italian rapiers, with splendid steel hilts and blades, which he planted point downwards in the lawn.
Derived terms
Translations
slender straight sharply pointed sword
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Adjective
rapier (not comparable)
Etymology 2
Adjective
rapier
- comparative form of rapey: more rapey
Anagrams
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French (espee) rapiere.
Pronunciation
Noun
rapier n (plural rapieren, diminutive rapiertje n)
Coordinate terms
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