EtymologyMap
Back to all words

Trace the journey of words

Today it means

sabre

a heavy cavalry sword with a curved blade; a light fencing sword

Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate

Where does the word "sabre" come from? It comes from Hungarian szablya, and was adopted directly into English (1680s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "sabre" come from? It comes from Hungarian szablya, and was adopted directly into English (1680s).

Sabre’s story begins in Hungarian: szablya meant “curved sword.” The curved sword of Hungarian light horsemen, the hussars who rose under King Matthias Corvinus; a deeper Turkic source is possible but uncertain. It reached English by 1680s as sabre. Reached English via German Säbel and French sabre; Britain's light cavalry adopted the curved 1796 Pattern sabre, carried at Waterloo in 1815. Today, sabre means a heavy cavalry sword with a curved blade; a light fencing sword.

  1. Stage 1 · Hungarian · 1400s szablya "curved sword", the curved sword of Hungarian light horsemen, the hussars who rose under King Matthias Corvinus; a deeper Turkic source is possible but uncertain.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1680s sabre "curved cavalry sword", reached English via German Säbel and French sabre; Britain's light cavalry adopted the curved 1796 Pattern sabre, carried at Waterloo in 1815.

Browse by origin