badelaire

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French badelaire, baudelaire, a corruption of earlier (14th century) baselard.

Noun

badelaire (plural badelaires)

  1. (now chiefly historical) A short sword with a heavy, curved blade and S-shaped quillions. [from 17th c.]
    • 1980, Gene Wolfe, The Shadow of the Torturer, I:
      I heard the ring of steel on stone, as if someone had struck one of the grave markers with a badelaire.
  2. (heraldry) This sword used as a heraldic charge.
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