glaive

Meaning

Noun

• A light lance with a long, sharp-pointed head.
• A weapon consisting of a pole with a large blade fixed on the end, the edge of which is on the outside curve.
• A sword, particularly a broadsword.

Origin

• From Middle English glaive, from Old French glaive, from Late Latin glavus. The further etymology is Unknown; one possibility is that it reflects Latin gladius crossed with clāva, while another is that it derives from a crossing of gladius with Proto-Celtic *kladiwos. All of the aforementioned words derive ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₂-. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that none of these words had the oldest meaning of Old French glaive (“lance”). The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch glavie, glaye; Middle High German glavîe, glævîn, Swedish glaven.