A short, curved dagger with a distinctive wavy or asymmetrical blade, traditionally used in Southeast Asian cultures like Malaysia and Indonesia.
From Malay 'keris,' the word entered English through colonial contact in Southeast Asia. The weapon has been used in the region for centuries and holds cultural and spiritual significance.
The kris blade's wavy pattern isn't just decorative—it creates stress points that make the blade stronger and help it penetrate armor, showing that ancient weapon designers understood engineering principles centuries before modern metallurgy!
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