Etymology Map
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Yataghan

2 stages from Ottoman Turkish to English.

Today it means a short Ottoman sabre with a forward-curving blade and no guard

Where does the word "yataghan" come from? It comes from Ottoman Turkish yatağan, adopted directly into English (1810s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
yatağan
Ottoman Turkish · 1500s-1800s
"short sabre"
the typical sidearm of the Janissaries, its blade curving forward toward the tip
2
Stage 2 of 2
yataghan
English · 1810s
"a Turkish short sabre"
European armies copied its double curve for the 'yataghan' sword bayonets of the 1800s
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Read the full story

Yataghan’s story begins in Ottoman Turkish: yatağan meant “short sabre.” The typical sidearm of the Janissaries, its blade curving forward toward the tip. It reached English by 1810s as yataghan. European armies copied its double curve for the 'yataghan' sword bayonets of the 1800s. Today, yataghan means a short Ottoman sabre with a forward-curving blade and no guard.