scimitar

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈsɪmɪtə/, /ˈsɪmɪtɑː/ (UK); /ˈsɪmɪtəɹ/, /ˈsɪmɪˌtɑɹ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French cimeterre and borrowed from Italian scimitarra,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} words of uncertain origin.^[3][4] Turkish would be the expected source, but no such word has been found there;^[4] perhaps it is from Persian šamšīr,^[2][3][4][6] though the OED finds this unsatisfactory as to form.^[4] The modern spelling, first found in 1562, follows the Italian form.^[3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A short, curved, single-edged sword, a characteristic weapon of the Turks and Persians (before 1548, as cimiterie).^[7][3][4]

Semantic evolution

Because of its Eastern associations, ignorance of its original form and imitation of both French and Italian spellings, the word has appeared in a great variety of forms, such as cimiterie, cemitere, cymitare and simitar.^[4][6] From 1689 it was used figuratively,^[7] and in compounds such as scimitar-horned it describes curved shapes.^[7]

Timeline

• before 1548 – cimiterie, a curved sword.^[7][3]
• 1562 – spelling scimitar.^[3][5]
• 1689 – figurative use.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A curved, single-edged saber of Eastern origin, with the edge on the convex side.

Word family

• scimitared

Related words

• sabre
• cutlass

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press