noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈkʌtləs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:K AH1 T L AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A short sword with a curved blade, and a convex edge; once used by sailors when boarding an enemy ship.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A similarly shaped tool; a machete.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To cut back (vegetation) with a cutlass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a short heavy curved sword with one edge; formerly used by sailors
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cutlas
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sword, blade, brand, steel
History
Etymology
From Middle French coutelas, from Old French coutel (“knife”) + -as (augmentative suffix).
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
аборда́жна са́бя
(abordážna sábja)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Catalan:
alfange
— a short sword with a curved blade
Catalan:
sabre
— a short sword with a curved blade
Dutch:
hartsvanger
— a short sword with a curved blade
Finnish:
hukari
— a short sword with a curved blade
French:
sabre d'abordage
— a short sword with a curved blade
German:
Entermesser
— a short sword with a curved blade
Hebrew:
חֶרֶב מַלָּחִים
(kherev malakhim)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Hungarian:
szablya
— a short sword with a curved blade
Japanese:
カットラス
(kattorasu)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Macedonian:
са́бја
(sábja)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Macedonian:
аборда́жна са́бја
(abordážna sábja)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Manx:
cliwe marrey
— a short sword with a curved blade
Norwegian:
huggert
— a short sword with a curved blade
Plautdietsch:
Säbel
— a short sword with a curved blade
Polish:
kord
— a short sword with a curved blade
Portuguese:
alfanje
— a short sword with a curved blade
Portuguese:
cutelo
— a short sword with a curved blade
Russian:
са́бля
(sáblja)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Russian:
аборда́жная са́бля
(abordážnaja sáblja)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Russian:
теса́к
(tesák)
— a short sword with a curved blade
Spanish:
sable
— a short sword with a curved blade
Swahili:
mundu
— a short sword with a curved blade
Swedish:
huggare
— a short sword with a curved blade
Tonga (Malawi):
chipura class 7
— a short sword with a curved blade
Welsh:
cleddyf cwta
— a short sword with a curved blade
Welsh:
cleddyfau cwta
— a short sword with a curved blade
