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saber

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sa⋅ber

  [sey-ber]
Use saber in a Sentence
–noun
1. a heavy, one-edged sword, usually slightly curved, used esp. by cavalry.
2. a soldier armed with such a sword.
3. Fencing.
a. a sword having two cutting edges and a blunt point.
b. the art or sport of fencing with the saber, with the target being limited to the head, trunk, and arms, and hits being made with the front edge and the upper part of the back edge of the sword and by thrusts.
–verb (used with object)
4. to strike, wound, or kill with a saber.
Also, especially British, sabre.

Origin:
1670–80; < F sabre, sable < G Sabel (now Säbel), earlier sewel, schebel < Pol szabla; cf. Czech šavle, Serbo-Croatian sȁblja, Russ sáblya sword, saber, perh. all ult. < Hungarian szablya, though derivation and transmission uncert.

Related forms:
sa⋅ber⋅like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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sa·ber   (sā'bər)   
n.  

  1. A heavy cavalry sword with a one-edged, slightly curved blade.

  2. A light dueling or fencing sword having an arched guard covering the hand and a tapered flexible blade with a cutting edge on one side and on the tip.

tr.v.   sa·bered, sa·ber·ing, sa·bers
To hit, injure, or kill with a saber.

[French sabre, from obsolete German sabel, from Middle High German, from Hungarian száblya, from szabni, to cut.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Encyclopedia

saber

heavy military sword with a long cutting edge and, often, a curved blade. Most commonly a cavalry weapon, the sabre was derived from a Hungarian cavalry sword introduced from the Orient in the 18th century; also a light fencing weapon developed in Italy in the 19th century for duelling. The military sabre had been relegated to a ceremonial role by the 20th century, while the fencing sabre had become one of the sport's standard weapons

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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