Kirpan

//kɪə(ɹ)ˈpɑːn// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A ceremonial sword that must be worn at all times by baptized Sikhs, and one of the five Ks. Sikhism
  2. 2
    a ceremonial four-inch curved dagger that Sikh men and women are obliged to wear at all times wordnet

Etymology

Borrowed from Punjabi ਕਿਰਪਾਨ (kirpān), from Sanskrit कृपाण (kṛpāṇa, “sword, dagger, sacrificial knife”), from कल्पयति (kalpáyati, “he orders, apportions, cuts, trims”).

Related phrases

five ks

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.