Online Etymology Dictionary

sword: O.E. sweord, from P.Gmc. *swerdan (cf. O.S., O.Fris. swerd, O.N. sverð, Swed. svärd, M.Du. swaert, Du. zwaard, O.H.G. swert, Ger. Schwert), related to O.H.G. sweran "to hurt," from *swertha-, lit. "the cutting weapon," from PIE base *swer- "to cut." Contrast with plowshare is from the O.T. (e.g. Isaiah ii.4, Micah iv.3). Swordfish is first attested c.1400; swordplay is O.E. sweordplege. Phrase put (originally do) to the sword "kill, slaughter" is recorded from 1338.
gladiolus: c.1000, from L. gladiolus "wild iris," lit. "small sword," dim. of gladius "sword," so called by Pliny in reference to the plant's sword-shaped leaves. The O.E. form of the word was gladdon.
spay: c.1410, "stab with a sword, kill," also "remove the ovaries of," from Anglo-Fr. espeier "cut with a sword," from M.Fr. espeer, from O.Fr. espee "sword" (Fr. épée), from L. spatha "broad, flat weapon or tool," from Gk. spathe "broad blade" (see spade (1)).
sheathe (v.): c.1400, "to furnish (a sword, etc.) with a sheath," from sheath (q.v.); meaning "to put (a sword, etc.) in a sheath" is attested from c.1430.
saber: "single-edged sword," 1680, from Fr. sabre "heavy, curved sword" (17c.), alteration of sable (1640), from Ger. Sabel, probably ult. from Hung. szablya "saber," lit. "tool to cut with," from szabni "to cut." The Slavic words (cf. Rus. sablya, Polish szabla "sword, saber") are perhaps also from Ger. It. sciabla seems to be directly from Hungarian. Saber-rattling "militarism" is attested from 1922. Saber-toothed cat (originally tiger) is attested from 1849.
Excalibur: King Arthur's sword, c.1300, from O.Fr. Escalibor, corruption of Caliburn, in Geoffrey of Monmouth (c.1140) Caliburnus, probably a variant of the legendary Ir. sword name Caladbolg, which may be lit. "hard-belly," i.e. "voracious."
claymore: 1772, "two-edged broadsword of ancient Scottish Highlanders," from Gael. claidheamh mor "great sword," from claidheb "sword," from PIE base *kel- "to strike" + mor "great." An antiquarian word made familiar again by Scott's novels; modern military application to pellet-scattering anti-personnel mine is first attested 1962.
bill (2): "bird's beak," O.E., related to bil, a poetic word for "a kind of sword" (especially one with a hooked blade), common Gmc. word for cutting weapons (cf. O.H.G. bihal, O.N. bilda "hatchet," O.S. bil "sword"), from PIE base *bhei- "to cut." Used also in M.E. of beak-like projections of land.
gladiator: 1541, from L. gladiator, lit. "swordsman," from gladius "sword," supposedly from Gaul. *kladyos (cf. O.Ir. claideb, Welsh cleddyf, Breton kleze "sword"), from PIE base *qelad- "to strike, beat."
epaulet: 1783, from Fr. épaulette, dim. of epaule "shoulder," from O.Fr. espaule, from L. spatula "flat piece of wood, splint," later "shoulder blade," dim. of spatha "broad wooden instrument, broad sword," from Gk. spathe "a broad flat sword" (see spade (1)).
section: 1559, from M.Fr. section, from L. sectionem (nom. sectio) "a cutting, cutting off, division," from sectus, pp. of secare "to cut," from PIE base *sek- "cut" (cf. O.C.S. seko, sesti "to cut," secivo "ax, hatchet;" Lith. isekti "to engrave, carve;" Alb. sate "mattock;" O.S. segasna, O.E. sigðe "scythe;" O.E. secg "sword," seax "knife, short sword;" O.Ir. doescim "I cut;" L. saxum "rock, stone"). Sectional "piece of furniture composed of sections which can be used separately" is recorded from 1961.
Egbert: masc. proper name, from O.E. Ecg-beorht, lit. "sword-bright."
bilbo: "kind of sword noted for temper and elasticity," 1598, from Bilbao, town in northern Spain where swords were made, in Eng. Bilboa.
dub (1): "give a name to," originally "make a knight," from O.E. dubbian "knight by striking with a sword" (11c.), a late word, perhaps borrowed from O.Fr. aduber "equip with arms, adorn," of uncertain origin.
brandish: mid-14c., from O.Fr. brandiss-, stem of brandir "to flourish a sword," of Frankish origin (see brand).
épée: 1889, from Fr., lit. "sword" from O.Fr. espe, from L. spatha (see epaulet).
falchion: "broad sword, somewhat curved," c.1300, from O.Fr. fauchon, from V.L. falcionem, from L. falx "sickle."
rapier: 1553, from M.Fr. rapière, from O.Fr. espee rapiere "long, pointed two-edged sword" (1474), in which the adj. is of uncertain origin, perhaps from derisive use of raspiere "poker, scraper."
pommel: early 14c., from O.Fr. pomel (12c.), "rounded knob," dim. of pom "hilt of a sword," from L.L. pomellum, dim. of L. pomum "apple," the connecting notion being "roundness." Sense of "front peak of a saddle" first recorded mid-15c. In M.E. poetry it also sometimes meant a woman's breast.
Gordian knot: 1561, tied by Gordius, king of Phrygia in Asia Minor, who predicted the one to loosen it would rule Asia. Instead, Alexander the Great cut the Gordian knot with his sword; hence the extended sense (1579 in Eng.) "solve a difficult problem in a quick, dramatic way."
broadsword: O.E. brad swurd, from broad + sword.
dint: O.E. dynt "blow dealt in fighting" (especially by a sword), from P.Gmc. *duntiz. Phrase by dint of ... "by force of, by means of," is early 14c.
xiphias: 1667, genus of swordfish, from Gk. xiphias "swordfish," from xiphos "sword," of unknown origin.
brand: O.E. brand, brond "firebrand, piece of burning wood, torch," and (poetic) "sword," from P.Gmc. *brandaz, from base *bran-/*bren- (see burn). Meaning of "identifying mark made by a hot iron" (1552) broadened 1827 to "a particular make of goods." Brand name is from 1922.
Hilda: fem. proper name, from Ger., lit. "battle-maid," from fem. of O.H.G. hild "war, battle." The same element is in the Ger.-derived names Hildebrand (lit. "battle-sword") and Hildegard ("protecting battle-maid").
scimitar: 1548, from M.Fr. cimeterre (15c.) or It. scimitarra, of uncertain origin. Turkish would be the expected source, but no such word has been found there. Perhaps from Pers. shimshir (pronounced "shamsher," cf. Gk. sampsera "a barbarian sword," from this source), but OED finds this "unsatisfactory as to form." Many early variations; the modern spelling is from influence of the It. form of the word.
scabbard: c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. *escauberc "sheath, vagina" (13c.), probably from Frank. *skar "blade" (cf. O.H.G. scar "scissors, blade, sword") + *berg- "protect" (cf. O.H.G. bergan "to protect").
accolade: 1620s, from Fr. (16c.), from Prov. acolada, ult. from noun use of a fem. pp. from V.L. *accollare "to embrace around the neck," from L. ad- "to" + collum "neck" (see collar). The original sense is of an embrace about the neck or the tapping of a sword on the shoulders to confer knighthood. Extended meaning "praise, award" is from 1852. Also see -ade.
lunge: 1735, "a thrust with a sword," originally a fencing term, shortened from allonge, from Fr. allonger "to extend, thrust," from O.Fr. alongier "to lengthen, make long," from à "to" + O.Fr. long, from L. longus "long" (see long (adj.)). The verb is attested from 1809; the sense of "to make a sudden forward rush" is from 1821.
foil (n.): "thin sheet of metal," late 14c., from O.Fr. fueille "leaf," from L. folia "leaves," pl. (mistaken for fem. sing.) of folium "leaf" (see folio). The sense of "one who enhances another by contrast" (1580s) is from the practice of backing a gem with metal foil to make it shine better. The meaning "light sword used in fencing" (1590s) could be from this sense, or from foil (v.). The modern sense of "metallic food wrap" is from 1946.
omelet: 1611, from Fr. omelette (16c.), metathesis of alemette (14c.), from alemelle "blade of a knife or sword," probably a misdivision of la lemelle (mistaken as l'alemelle), from L. lamella "thin, small plate," dim. of lamina "plate, layer." The food so called from its flat shape. The proverb "you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs" (1859) translates Fr. On ne saurait faire une omelette sans casser des oeufs.
foible: 1648, "weak point of a sword blade" (contrasted to forte), from Fr. foible (adj.) "weak," from O.Fr. foible "feeble," dissimilated from L. flebilis (see feeble). Extended sense of "weak point of character" is first recorded 1673.
oyster: 1357, from O.Fr. oistre (Fr. huître), from L. ostrea, pl. or fem. of ostreum "oyster," from Gk. ostreon, from PIE *ost- "bone" (see osseous). Related to Gk. ostrakon "hard shell" and to osteon "bone."
"Why then the world's mine Oyster, which I, with sword will open." [Shakespeare, "The Merry Wives of Windsor," II.ii.2]
sedge: "coarse grass-like plant growing in wet places," O.E. secg, from P.Gmc. *sagjoz (cf. Low Ger. segge, Ger. Segge), from PIE base *sek- "cut" (cf. O.E. secg "sword"), on notion of plant with "cutting" leaves (cf. etymological sense of gladiolus, and possible connection to O.Ir. seisg, Welsh hesgreed "rush"). Often spelled seg, segg until present form triumphed early 1900s.
sheath: O.E. sceað, scæð, from P.Gmc. *skaithiz (cf. O.S. scethia, O.N. skeiðir (pl.), O.Fris. skethe, M.Du. schede, Du. schede, O.H.G. skaida, Ger. scheide "scabbard"), possibly from base *skaith "divide, split" (see shed (v.)) on notion of a split stick with the sword blade inserted. Meaning "condom" is recorded from 1861; sense of "close-fitting dress or skirt" is attested from 1904.
bachelor: c.1300, "youthful knight, novice in arms," from O.Fr. bacheler (11c.) "knight bachelor," a young squire in training for knighthood, probably from M.L. baccalarius "vassal farmer," one who helps or tends a baccalaria "section of land." Or from L. baculum "a stick," since the squire would practice with a staff, not a sword. Meaning evolved 14c. from "knight in training" to "junior member of a guild or university" to "unmarried man" (late 14c.), an evolution that paralleled the word's development in French. Bachelor party is first recorded 1922.
forte: 1648, from Fr. fort "strong point (of a sword blade)," also "fort," from M.Fr. fort (see fort); final -e- added 18c. in imitation of It. forte "strong." Meaning "strong point of a person" is from 1682.
Damocles: courtier of Dionysius I, tyrant of Syracuse; his name in Gk. means lit. "fame of the people," from demos, damos "people" (see demotic) + -kles "fame," a common ending in Gk. proper names (e.g. Sophocles, Pericles), from PIE *klew-es, from base *kleu- "to hear" (see listen). To teach Damocles how a tyrant lives, Dionysius seated him at a banquet with a sword suspended above his head by a single hair.
temple (2): "side of the forehead," c.1310, from O.Fr. temple "side of the forehead" (11c.), from V.L. *tempula (fem. sing.), from L. tempora, pl. of tempus (gen. temporis) "side of the forehead," probably originally "the thin stretch of skin at the side of the forehead." Possibly associated with tempus span "timely space (for a mortal blow with a sword)," or from the notion of "stretched, thinnest part," which is the sense of cognate O.E. ðunwange, lit. "thin cheek."
edge (n.): O.E. ecg "corner, edge," also "sword," from P.Gmc. *agjo (cf. O.N. egg, see egg (v.); Ger. Eck "corner"), from PIE base *ak- "sharp, pointed" (cf. L. acies, Gk. akis "point;" see acrid). Spelling development of O.E. -cg to M.E. -gg to Mod.E. -dge represents a widespread shift in pronunciation. To get the edge on (someone) is U.S. colloquial, first recorded 1911. Edge city is from Joel Garreau's 1992 book of that name. Razor's edge as a perilous narrow path translates Gk. epi xyrou akmes.
belt: O.E. belt, from P.Gmc. *baltjaz (cf. O.H.G. balz, O.N. balti, Swed. bälte), an early borrowing from L. balteus "girdle, sword belt," said by Varro to be an Etruscan word. As a mark of rank or distinction, c.1340; references to boxing championship belts date from 1812. Transferred sense of "broad stripe encircling something" is from 1664; verb meaning "to thrash as with a belt" is from 1649; general sense of "to hit, thrash" is attested from 1838. Below the belt "unfair" (1889) is from pugilism. To get something under (one's) belt is to get it into one's stomach.
spade (2): "figure on playing cards," 1598, probably from It. spade, pl. of spada "sword, spade," from L. spatha "broad, flat weapon or tool," from Gk. spathe "broad blade" (see spade (1)). Phrase in spades "in abundance" first recorded 1929 (Damon Runyon), probably from bridge, where spades are the highest-ranking suit.
"The invitations to the musicale came sliding in by pairs and threes and spade flushes." [O.Henry, "Cabbages & Kings," 1904]
Derogatory meaning "black person" is 1928, from the color of the playing card symbol.
gauntlet (1): "glove," c.1420, from M.Fr. gantelet (13c.), semi-dim. of gant "glove" (12c.), earlier wantos (7c.), from Frank. *want-, from P.Gmc. *wantuz "glove" (cf. M.Du. want "mitten," E.Fris. want, wante, O.N. vöttr "glove," Dan. vante "mitten"), which apparently is related to O.H.G. wintan, O.E. windan "turn around, wind" (see wind (v.)).
"The name must orig. have applied to a strip of cloth wrapped about the hand to protect it from sword-blows, a frequent practice in the Icelandic sagas." [Buck]
It. guanto, Sp. guante are likewise ult. from Gmc.
guard (n.): early 15c., "one who keeps watch," from M.Fr. garde "guardian, warden, keeper," from garder "to guard," from O.Fr. guarder (corresponding to O.N.Fr. warder, see gu-), from Frank. *wardon, from P.Gmc. *wardo- (see ward (v.)). Abstract or collective sense of "a keeping, a custody" (as in bodyguard) is from early 15c. Sword-play and boxing sense is from 1590s. The verb is first recorded 1580s, from the noun. Guarded "reserved and cautious in speech, behavior, etc." is from 1728. Guardian (early 14c.) is from Anglo-Fr. gardein, from O.Fr. gardien, earlier guarden, from Frankish *warding-.
slay: O.E. slean "to smite," also "to kill with a weapon" (class VI strong verb; past tense sloh, slog, pp. slagen), from P.Gmc. *slakhanan, from base *slog- "to hit" (cf. O.N., O.Fris. sla, Dan. slaa, M.Du. slaen, Du. slaan, O.H.G. slahan, Ger. schlagen, Goth. slahan "to strike"), from PIE base from base *slak- "to strike" (cf. M.Ir. pp. slactha "struck," slacc "sword"). Modern Ger. cognate schlagen maintains the original sense of "to strike." Meaning "overwhelm with delight" (1340) preserves some of the wider rangeof meanings that the word once had, including also "to strike a spark" (O.E.).
harvest: O.E. hærfest "autumn," from P.Gmc. *kharbitas (cf. O.S. hervist, Du. herfst, Ger. Herbst "autumn," O.N. haust "harvest"), from PIE *kerp- "to gather, pluck, harvest" (cf. Skt. krpana- "sword," krpani "shears;" Gk. karpos "fruit," karpizomai "make harvest of;" L. carpere "to cut, divide, pluck;" Lith. kerpu "cut;" M.Ir. cerbaim "cut"). The borrowing of autumn and fall gradually focused its meaning after 14c. from "the time of gathering crops" to the action itself and the product of the action. Harvester "machine for reaping and binding" is from 1875; harvest home (1596) is the occasion of bringing home the last of the harvest; harvest moon (1706) is that which is full within a fortnight of the autumnal equinox.
acrid: 1712, from L. acer (fem. acris) "sharp, pungent, bitter, eager, fierce," from PIE *ak-ri-, from base *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce" (cf. Oscan acrid "sharply;" Gk. akis "sharp point," akros "at the farthest point, highest, pointed," akantha "thorn," akme "summit, edge;" also oxys "sharp, bitter;" Skt. acri- "corner, edge," acani- "point of an arrow," asrih "edge;" Lith. asmuo "sharpness," akstis "sharp stick;" O.Ir. er "high;" Welsh ochr "edge, corner, border;" O.N. eggja "goad;" O.E. ecg "sword"). The -id suffix probably is in imitation of acid.
moment: 1340, "very brief portion of time, instant," in moment of time, from O.Fr. moment, from L. momentum "movement, moving power," also "instant, importance," contraction of *movimentum, from movere "to move" (see move). Some (but not O.E.D.) explain the sense evolution of the L. word by notion of a particle so small it would just "move" the pointer of a scale, which led to the transf. sense of "minute time division." Sense of "importance, 'weight' " is attested in Eng. from 1522. Momentous formed 1656 in Eng., to carry the sense of "important" while momentary (1526) kept the meaning "of an instant of time." Phrase never a dull moment first recorded 1889 in Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat." Phrase moment of truth first recorded 1932 in Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon," from Sp. el momento de la verdad, the final sword-thrust in a bull-fight.
Saxon: c.1300, from L.L. Saxonem (nom. Saxo), usually found in pl. Saxones, from P.Gmc. *sakhsan (cf. O.E. Seaxe, O.H.G. Sahsun, Ger. Sachse "Saxon"), with a possible literal sense of "swordsmen" (cf. O.E. seax, O.Fris., O.N. sax "knife, short sword, dagger," perhaps ult. from PIE root of saw (1)). The word figures in the well-known story, related by Geoffrey of Monmouth, who got it from Nennius, of the treacherous slaughter by the Anglo-Saxons of their British hosts:
"Accordingly they all met at the time and place appointed, and began to treat of peace; and when a fit opportunity offered for executing his villany, Hengist cried out, "Nemet oure Saxas," and the same instant seized Vortigern, and held him by his cloak. The Saxons, upon the signal given, drew their daggers, and falling upon the princes, who little suspected any such design, assassinated them to the number of four hundred and sixty barons and consuls ...."
OED helpfully points out that the correct O.E. (with an uninflected plural) would be nimað eowre seax. For other national names that may have derived from characteristic tribal weapons, cf. Frank, Lombard. Still in 20c. used by Celtic speakers to mean "an Englishman." In ref. to the modern Ger. state of Saxony (Ger. Sachsen, Fr. Saxe) it is attested from 1634. Saxon is the source of the -sex in Essex, Sussex, etc. (cf. Middlesex, from O.E. Middel-Seaxe "Middle Saxons"). Bede distinguished the Anglo-Saxons, who conquered much of southern Britain, from the Eealdesaxe "Old Saxons," who stayed in Germany.