scimitar means A sword of Persian origin that features a curved blade.
scimitar is pronounced /ˈsɪmɪtə/.
Why “scimitar” is a great word
A curved, single-edged sword of Persian origin. First attested in English in 1548, from Middle French *cimeterre* or Italian *scimitarra*, possibly via Ottoman Turkish and ultimately from Classical Persian *šamšēr* ("sword"); doublet of *shamshir*. Unlike the broader European *sabre* or the precise Persian *shamshir*, *scimitar* is the West's catch-all for the Eastern curve—a term both exotic and imprecise. It is the flash of a crescent moon in a warrior's grip, the whisper of steel through dry desert air, and the long, cruel arc of history written in light on the blade—a shape that conquered empires and haunts the imagination long after the forges have cooled.
Etymology
First attested in 1548. From Middle French cimeterre (15c.) or directly from Italian scimitarra, possibly from an unknown Ottoman Turkish word, ultimately from Classical Persian شمشیر (šamšēr, “sword”). Doublet of shamshir.
noun
- A sword of Persian origin that features a curved blade.
- A long-handled billhook.
verb
- To strike or slice with, or as if with, a scimitar.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- qama 62% match — A Persian shortsword. vs scimitar →
- falchion 61% match — A somewhat curved, single-edged medieval sword of European origin, with the cutting edge on its convex side, whose design is reminiscent of the Persian scimitar and the Chinese dao. vs scimitar →
- cutlass 58% match — A short sword with a curved blade, and a convex edge; once used by sailors when boarding an enemy ship. vs scimitar →
- simi 58% match — A short sword or dagger used by the Kikuyu people. vs scimitar →
- jambiya 57% match — An Arabian (especially Yemeni) dagger with a short curved blade that is worn on a belt. vs scimitar →
- saif 57% match — A type of Arabian sword. vs scimitar →
- scythe 56% match — An instrument for mowing grass, grain, etc. by hand, composed of a long, curving blade with a sharp concave edge, fastened to a long handle called a snath. vs scimitar →
- curtana 55% match — A short sword used for ceremonial purposes vs scimitar →