Th
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