Arquifoux

/ˌɑːrkɪˈfuː/ noun

Definition

A type of Turkish or Middle Eastern curved sword or saber with a distinctive shape.

Etymology

From Turkish/Arabic origins, this is a specialized term that entered English through Ottoman military history and orientalist sources in the 18th-19th centuries, though the exact etymology is disputed.

Kelly Says

This is one of those ultra-specific historical weapons words that almost nobody uses anymore—it represents a whole era of European fascination with exotic weaponry that we now only see in museum catalogs and historical novels.

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