A short sword or half-pike carried by sergeants and officers in medieval and Renaissance armies.
From Spanish espantadera or related to Italian spada (sword), possibly blended with 'pantoon.' The word reflects military terminology of the 16th-17th centuries when various European powers named their weapons.
Officers carried espantoons as symbols of rank and authority, not primarily as weapons—it's like today's ceremonial swords that say 'I'm in charge' more than 'I can stab you'!
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