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tulwar

A type of curved, single-edged sword traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent.

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Where does the word "tulwar" come from? It comes from Sanskrit taravari, passing through Hindi before entering English (19th c.).

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Where does the word "tulwar" come from? It comes from Sanskrit taravari, passing through Hindi before entering English (19th c.).

Tulwar’s story begins in Sanskrit: taravari meant “a sword, blade.” Meant 'one-edged sword, blade'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as talwar. The everyday word for a curved sword. It reached English by 19th c. as tulwar. British soldiers in India adopted the word for the Indian curved sword. Today, tulwar means a type of curved, single-edged sword traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent.

  1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient taravari "a sword, blade", meant 'one-edged sword, blade'.
  2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval talwar "a curved sword or sabre", the everyday word for a curved sword.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 19th c. tulwar "a curved, one-edged sword used in South Asia, especially under the Mughals", British soldiers in India adopted the word for the Indian curved sword.

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