saber

Where does the word "saber" come from? It comes from Hungarian szablya, passing through German and French before entering English (1600s-1700s).

Saber’s story begins in Hungarian: szablya meant “a curved sword.” The name for the curved cavalry sword. By 1500s-1600s, the word had taken hold in German as Säbel. Hungarian hussars carried curved sabres, copied by armies across Europe. From there it passed into French as sabre by 1600s. Carried the weapon's name into French military use. It reached English by 1600s-1700s as saber. Cavalry sabre charges lasted into the early 1900s. Today, saber means a heavy sword with a curved blade, traditionally used by cavalry.

1. Stage 1 · Hungarian · medieval szablya "a curved sword", the name for the curved cavalry sword.
2. Stage 2 · German · 1500s-1600s Säbel "a curved sword", Hungarian hussars carried curved sabres, copied by armies across Europe.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s sabre "a curved cavalry sword", carried the weapon's name into French military use.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s-1700s saber "a heavy sword with a curved blade", cavalry sabre charges lasted into the early 1900s.