What does "broadsword" mean?
A type of early modern sword that has a broad double-edged blade for cutting (as opposed to the more slender thrust-oriented rapier) and typically a basket hilt.
Broadsword
/ˈbɹɔd.sɔɹd/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A type of early modern sword that has a broad double-edged blade for cutting (as opposed to the more slender thrust-oriented rapier) and typically a basket hilt.
- Grammar: broadsword is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: foil, greatsword, sword.
- Useful contrasts: rapiers, shortsword.
- Usage evidence: I can hold my own, both with single rapier, backsword, sword and dagger, broadsword, or case of falchions.
How to use "broadsword"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "broadsword" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "broadsword" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "broadsword" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "broadsword" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "broadsword" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "foil" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "broadsword", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A type of early modern sword that has a broad double-edged blade for cutting (as opposed to the more slender thrust-oriented rapier) and typically a basket hilt.
"The principal distinction between the broadsword and the rapier is, that the latter is formed only for thrusting, while the former is adapted for cutting also. Indeed, those who use the broadsword are, in my opinion, too apt to neglect the use of the point, and to give their attention almost exclusively to the cuts."
- 2 a sword with a broad blade and (usually) two cutting edges; used to cut rather than stab wordnet
- 3 A person armed with such a sword.
- 4 Synonym of longsword. colloquial, often
"The Brythunian's arm drew back; the ancient broadsword with its strange, clawed quillons arcked spinning through the air."
- 5 A flat, rectangular bread made from corn (maize) and beans by the Cherokee, traditionally by boiling rather than baking it.
"Cherokee "broadswords" and "dog-heads," or Iroquois wedding breads (paired like dumbbells) might be eaten and described by visitors, but apparently were not adapted by colonial farmers other than a few intermarried pioneers."
Verb
- 1 To attack or kill with a broadsword. rare, transitive
"She’d met her first black knight—a pock-faced man in his sixties, wearing an ugly brown hat—and escaped from him without being broadsworded to death."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I can hold my own, both with single rapier, backsword, sword and dagger, broadsword, or case of falchions."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "broadsword"?
Common synonyms include: foil, greatsword, sword.
How do you use "broadsword" in a sentence?
I can hold my own, both with single rapier, backsword, sword and dagger, broadsword, or case of falchions.
How do you pronounce "broadsword"?
Pronounced /ˈbɹɔd.sɔɹd/.
Etymology
From broad + sword.