A sharp blade that attaches to the end of a rifle, or to thrust with such a blade.
From French 'baïonnette,' named after the city of Bayonne in France where these weapons were allegedly first manufactured in the 1680s. The name of a place became the name of an object.
The bayonet is a perfect example of how warfare drives innovation—combining a stabbing weapon and a gun into one tool changed how soldiers fought. By the time WWI ended, bayonet charges became obsolete, showing how rapidly technology can make tactics worthless.
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