Why this word is great
CURTANA — [Noun] A short ceremonial sword, specifically the Sword of Mercy used in British coronations, characterized by its blunted tip. From Anglo-Latin curtana (spatha), meaning 'shortened (sword)', derived from Old French cortain (name of Roland's broken-tipped sword), ultimately from Latin curtus ("short"). Unlike "gladius" (a functional Roman short sword designed for combat) or "sabre" (a curved, sharp-edged cavalry sword meant for slashing), curtana is straight, unsharpened, and wielded only in ritual. It is the dull gleam of gilded steel against velvet robes, the weight of tradition in a monarch’s gloved hand, the silent proclamation that mercy, not violence, crowns a kingdom—a blade that cannot cut, yet still divides the past from the present.