Word for Sword in Various Languages

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This list is compiled from multiple sources and should be regarded as a source of clues, not a definitive translation of the word sword. The words seen in this list are sometimes used by collectors to refer to a particular type of sword but that is not necessarily the case; a word may be generic for “sword” and include a large number of different types. Remember also that the meaning of words must account for who is saying it, where they are saying it, when they are saying it, and the social context at that moment.

Afro-Asiatic 

Berber

  • Guanche: maγidaw / magido
  • Kabyle (Taqbaylit): asekkin / isekkin; aṭaɣan / aṭiɣan; flissa; lemca / llemca
  • Riff (Tarifit): ssif
  • Shilha (Tashelhit): taguba
  • Tamahaq - Tahaggart: ta-kub-a
  • Tamajeq - Tayart: tăkoba

Chadic

  • Hausa: bisalami; findi; kànsakàlī; tagomas; tákṑbī / takòòbii / tákwṑbīl; tsuuraa
  • Kera: kúbkúbì
  • Tumak: kúbkùb

Cushitic

  • Somali: bilawa, bilawai; seef, seif

Semitic

  • Akkadian: nams̩āru(m)
  • Ge'ez: 'afot; 'erag; matḥ; say
  • Amharic: አፋ afa; ቢላዋ bilawa; ጩቤ č'ub; ገጀራ gäǧära; ጊሌ gile; ጎራዴ gorade / gʷärade; ቆንጨራ qonč'ära; ሰንጢ sänt'i; ሰይፍ säyf; ሻሙላ šamula; ሾተል šotäl
  • Ugaritic: mams̩āru
  • Biblical Hebrew: חרב / khérev
  • Hebrew: חרב / khérev; סיף / sayif
  • Egyptian: ḫpš / khopesh; mšw; sf.t
  • Arabic: سيف sayf
  • Andalusian Arabic: sayf, șimșam(ah)
  • Maltese: sejf, xabla

Ainu 

  • Ainu: エムㇱ / emus

Austro-Asiatic 

Khasi-Khmuic

  • Riang: wac.2
  • Konto: laŋ.2-, vac.2
  • Samtao: vac.2
  • U: viaic
  • Lawa: vec

Mon-Khmer

  • Vietnamese: gươm, kiếm

Austronesian 

Malayo-Polynesian

  • Cebuano: espada
  • Filipino / Tagalog: espada / ispada; kris; sable; tabak
  • Hiligaynon (Ilonggo): espada
  • Ilongot: espadaI
  • Ivatan: ispada; tuturuk
  • Kapampangan: espada / ispada; kris; tabak; talibung
  • Tausug: barung; kalis; kampilan; puddang
  • Waray-Waray: espada
  • Malay: mandau; pedang
  • Indonesian: mandau; pedang
  • Tetum: surik
  • Chuukese: kkátinaas / kketinaas
  • Fijian: seletà
  • Gilbertese (Kiribati): te kabang
  • Hawaiian: pahi kaua pālahalaha
  • Maori: hani; hoari; maipi; pouwhenua; taiaha
  • Motu: ilapa
  • Nauruan: ipudutubwin
  • Tongan: heleta

Basque 

  • Basque: ezpata

Dravidian 

Northern

  • Brahui: pâD / páđ

Central

  • Telugu: కత్తి / katti; ఖడ్గము / khadgamu; vālu

Southern

  • Tamil: அருவாள் / aruval; வாள் / vāḷ
  • Malayalam: വാൾ / vāḷ
  • Kodava: bāḷɨ katti
  • Kota: vāḷ
  • Toda: pōɫ̣
  • Kannada: bāḷ(u); ಕತ್ತಿ / katti
  • Badaga: bāļu; pațțekatti
  • Tulu: bāḷụ / bālụ

Hmong-Mien 

Miao-Bunu

  • Hmong: ntaj

Indo-European 

  • Proto Indo-European: *nsis-
  • Albanian: jatagan; kordhë; pallë; shpatë
  • Armenian: սուսեր / suser; թքուր / t’k’ur; թուր / t’ur; խոցասուսեր / xoc’asowser

Balto-Slavic

  • Old Prussian: kalabian
  • Sudovian: kalavian
  • Latvian: durklis; zobens
  • Lithuanian: kalavijas; kardas; špaga
  • Samogitian: kalavėjs
  • Proto-Slavic: *mьčь / *mečь
  • Old Church Slavonic: ⰏⰅⰝⰠ / мєчь / mečĭ
  • Bosnian: mač
  • Croatian: mač
  • Serbian: мач / mač
  • Slovenian: meč
  • Bulgarian: меч / meč; рапира / rapiera; сабя / sabr; шпага / špaga
  • Macedonian: меч / meč
  • Polish: kord; miecz; oręż; pałasz; szabla; szpada
  • Kashubian: miecz
  • Lower Sorbian: mjac
  • Upper Sorbian: mječ
  • Czech: kord; meč; šavle
  • Slovak: kord; meč; šabľa
  • Old East Slavic: мечь / mečĭ
  • Belarusian: меч / mieč; сабля / shablya
  • Russian: меч / mech; палаш / palash; рапира / rapira; сабля / sablya; шашка / shashka; шпага / shpaga
  • Ukrainian: меч / mech; шпага / shpaha

Celtic

  • Proto-Celtic: *kladimo- / *kladyos
  • Cisalpine Gaulish: *kladyos
  • Old Irish: claideb; colg; dubchend
  • Irish: claíomh
  • Manx: cliwe
  • Scottish Gaelic: claidheamh
  • Welsh: cledd / cleddau / cleddyf; glaif
  • Cornish: cledhe / gledhe / glethe / kledhe
  • Breton: klezeñv

Germanic

  • Proto-Germanic: *mēkijaz; *swerdą
  • Old High German: swert
  • German: Degen; Klinge; Säbel; Schwert
  • Yiddish: שווערד / shverd
  • Old English: bil; heoru; mēċe; secg; sweord
  • English: sword
  • Scots: swuird
  • Old Frisian: swerd
  • East Frisian: swid
  • West Frisian: swurd
  • Old Saxon: māki; swert
  • Low German: Sweert
  • Old Dutch: swert
  • Dutch: degen; sabel; zwaard
  • Afrikaans: saber; swaard
  • Old Norse: mækir; sverð
  • Danish: kaarde; sabel; sværd
  • Faroese: svørð
  • Icelandic: sverð
  • Norwegian: sverd
  • Swedish: svärd
  • Gothic: hairus; ������������ / mēkeis / �������� / mēki
  • Crimean Gothic: mycha

Hellenic

  • Greek: κοπίς / kopís; σπάθη / spáth; ξίφος / xífos

Indo-Iranian

  • Classical Sanskrit: असि / asi; खड्ग / khaḍga / khaṅga
  • Bengali: অসি / asi
  • Gujarati: તલવાર / talavāra
  • Hindi: खड्ग / khaḍga; कृपाण / kr̥pāṇa; पट / pata; सैनिक शक्ति / sainika śakti; तलवार / talavāra
  • Punjabi: ਭਗਉਤੀ / bhaga'utī; ਚੰਡੀ / caḍī; ਖੜਗ / khadag; ਖੰਡਾ / khaṇḍā; ਕਿਰਪਾਨ / kirapāna; ਸੈਫ਼ / saifa; ਸਾਰੰਗ / sāraga; ਸਰੋਹੀ / sārohī; ਤਲਵਾਰ / talavāra; ਤੇਗ਼ / tegh
  • Romani: kardo
  • Urdu: تلوار / talvār
  • Old Persian: akīnaka(h)
  • Pahlavi: šmšyl
  • Kurdish - Kurmanji: şimşûr; şûr
  • Kurdish - Sorani: شێر / shaer; شمشێر / shimshaer
  • Persian: شمشیر / shamshīr
  • Dari: شمشير / shamshīr
  • Shughni - Rushani: nemo

Italic

  • Latin: acinaces; ēnsis; gladius; harpe; machaera; spatha
  • Italian: sciabola; spada
  • Corsican: sciàbula; spada; stoccu
  • Sicilian: spata
  • Old French: espee
  • Anglo-Norman: espee; glaive
  • French: épée; espade; glaive; sabre
  • Cajun French: glaive; sabre
  • Arpitan - Forézien: ligoussa; ragueiri
  • Occitan: espasa
  • Aragonese: espata
  • Asturian: espada
  • Catalan: espasa; glavi; sabre
  • Spanish: espada; estoque; sabre
  • Galician: espada
  • Portuguese: espada; gládio; sabre
  • Romanian: paloş; sabie; spadă / spadã

Paleo-Balkan

  • Thracian: rhomphaia; skálmē

Tocharian

  • Tocharian A (Turfanian): kāre
  • Tocharian B (Kuchean): apsāl*; kertte

Japonic 

Japanese: 刀 / katana; 太刀 / tachi; 剣 / tsurugi

  • Sino-Japanese: 刀 / -tō; 太刀 / daitō; 剣 / ken
  • Okinawan: katana

Kartvelian 

Karto-Zan

  • Georgian: ხმალი / khmali

Korean 

Korean: 칼 / (MR) kal / (YR) gal; 검 / (MR) kem / (YR) geom; 무력 / (MR) mwulyŏk / (YR) mulyeog

Mongolic 

Central

  • Mongolian: илд / ild; сэлэм / selem

Niger-Congo 

Atlantic-Congo

  • Bena: ilimage / limage; lipanga
  • Bondei: kahamba / uhamba; jambia; upanga
  • Bungu: ipanga
  • Chewa: lupanga
  • Dawida: ifumu; lufu
  • Doe: panga; sime
  • Embu: kIviU; njUra
  • Ewe: klante adekpui; yi
  • Fipa: insiinge; uupanga
  • Ganda: kiso; kitaba
  • Gikuyu: panga; sime
  • Gweno: ipanga; ngalu
  • Gwere: kipanga; kisso
  • Gusii: omoyio obirende
  • Hangaza: inkota
  • Haya: embanda
  • Hehe: ilimaage; ilipaanga
  • Ikizu: esarara; risabha
  • Ikoma: nyamutangara; omoiryo
  • Iramba: sime; umupanga
  • Jita: echimali
  • Kamba - Kitu: kavyU
  • Kamba - Machakos: UvyU
  • Kara (Kilegi): liyalo
  • Kibosho: kyandu
  • Kiga: ekisyo; rurara
  • Kimbu: inguviluu; ulupanga
  • Kinga: imundu
  • Kinyarwanda: inkota
  • Kirundi: inkota
  • Kwere: panga; sime
  • Lambya: sime; umupanga
  • Lozi: mukwale; sabule
  • Luhya - Bukusu: eembaluM
  • Machame: usu / usuu
  • Makonde: sambala; upanga
  • Malila: ishipanga
  • Matengo: upanga
  • Matumbi: lipanga
  • Meru: ipanga; rubiu; shombo
  • Mpoto: lipanga
  • Mwanga: u-lupanga
  • Mwera: chikwanje; limaje; upanga
  • Ndengereko: mpunga; nnunda
  • Ngindo: lipanga
  • Ngoni: upanga
  • Nyakyusa: ulubo
  • Nyambo: echisyo; embanda
  • Nyamwezi: lUpAngA
  • Nyaturucha: ng'engo; sime
  • Nyaturuwil: ifaango; ufaanga
  • Nyiha: umfu
  • Nyoro: ekiso
  • Pangwa: lipanga
  • Pimbwe: ulupanga; umnunda
  • Pogolo: lipanga; shihimbi
  • Rungwa: ensinge; ulupanga
  • Shubi: igipaanga; inkota
  • Siha: obanga; shobo
  • Sonjo: bogwE-ne; ruruba
  • Sukuma: panga
  • Swahili: upanga; shime; vikitara
  • Taabwa: lupanga
  • Tharaka: kajiu; rujiu
  • Toro: empirima
  • Tumbuka: upanga
  • Vinza: ikisyu; ulupanga
  • Vunjo: isinge; ushu
  • Vwanji: limaghe
  • Wanda: chiweko; lupanga
  • Yao: lipanga / wu-paanga; nkalo
  • Yoruba: agada; agẹdẹmgbẹ; idà; ogbó
  • Zanaki: ehazi; embazo; erisaba
  • Zaramo: sengo; sime
  • Zigula: sime
  • Zinza: embaanda / embanda; orupaanga
  • Zulu: kemba

Nilo-Saharan 

Eastern

  • Dongolawi: síwıd
  • Maasai: olalim; seme
  • Shillul: gochi / goji

Fur

  • Fur: saar

Saharan

  • Kanuri: kashaar

Songhay

  • Zarma: takuba

Northeast Caucasian 

Nakh

  • Chechen: тур / tur

Pama-Nyungan 

Yuin-Kuric

  • Awabakal: yir-ra / yirra

Sino-Tibetan 

Sinitic

  • Old Chinese: 刀 / *tāw
  • Mandarin Chinese: 刀 / dāo; 劍 / jiàn

Tibeto-Burman

  • Kachin: nthu1

Tai-Kadai 

Tai

  • Bouyei: ša.4
  • Saek: tha.4
  • Zhuang - Longzhou: pja.4
  • Thai: ดาบ / dāb / daab / darb; กระบี่ / krabī̀
  • Ahom: hengdang

Turkic 

Kipchak

  • Kazakh: қылыш / qılış; шашка / šaška

Oghuz

  • Azerbaijani: qılınc; şəmşir
  • Gagauz: kılıç
  • Turkish: kılıç; pala; yatağan

Siberian

  • Sakha (Yakut): болот / bolot; кылыс / kılıs

Uyghuric

  • Old Turkic: kılıç
  • Uyghur: قىلىچ / қилич / qilich
  • Uzbek: qilich

Uralic 

Finnic

  • Estonian: mõõk
  • Võro: mõõk
  • Finnish: kalpa; miekka; säilä; sapeli
  • Votic: mõõka

Mordvinic

  • Moksha: тор / tor

Ugric

  • Hungarian (Magyar): handzsár; kard; pallo(s)

Permian

  • Komi: шыпурт / shipurt

Algic 

Algonquian

  • Ojibwe: ajaweshk

Chinookan 

Chinook

  • opitsah

Mayan 

Tzotzil: ʔespara

Muskogean 

Western

  • Choctaw: bạshpo falaia

Quechua 

  • Quechua: khillaychuki

Uto-Aztecan 

  • Nahuatl: espada; tepozmaquahuitl / tepuzmacquahuitl
  • Yaqui: ejpaam

Conlangs 

  • Eldar: iarstill
  • Esperanto: glavo
  • Interlingua: gladio; spada
  • Quenya: ecet; macil
  • Romulan: u'ra
  • Sindarin: crist; l(h)ang; magol / megil
  • Slovio: mecx