Plural of backswordman; soldiers or fencers who fought with backswords, swords with a cutting edge on one side only.
From 'back' (Old English bæc) + 'sword' (Old English sweord) + 'men' (Old English menn). The backsword was a practical military weapon distinct from the double-edged longsword, becoming particularly popular in 17th-century England.
Backswordmen were the practical fighters of their day—while nobility favored elegant rapiers, these soldiers wielded cheaper, more robust one-edged swords that could be mass-produced and maintained. It's a linguistic reminder that weapon technology directly shaped military organization and social class.
Plural of '-man' term; perpetuates male-as-default in martial arts terminology. Historically excluded women practitioners from institutional records and competition rosters.
Use 'backsword fencers' or 'backsword practitioners' for gender-neutral reference to mixed or unspecified groups.
["backsword fencers","backsword practitioners","backsword players"]
Historical backsword guilds and fencing societies included women but recorded only 'backswordmen,' erasing their contributions.
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