Dictionary

Katzbalger en · NOUN

Etymology

From German Katzbalger.

Meanings

1. A short Renaissance arming sword, of sturdy build, with a distinctive ess- or eight-shaped guard, the signature blade of the Landsknecht, used for close-quarters combat.
   • A Katzbalger, if I remembered my history correctly. The blade was made of a dull gray metal. Tiny lines of black text were etched along the edges. 2015, Jim C. Hines, Unbound, Penguin, →ISBN:
   • Perhaps the most famous example of a Katzbalger is that of the military leader Ulrick von Schellenberg, dating from about 1515; 1986, Leonid Tarassuk, Claude Blair, The Complete Encyclopedia of Arms & Weapons: The Most Comprehensive Reference Work Ever Published on Arms and Armor, Random House Value Pub, page 294:
   • 'I have a musket, a bow, a Katzbalger blade and a watchful hound as sentinel.' 'Be careful, Christian.' 'My luck has held so far.' He slipped into the woods, leaving the fishing scene and the chatter of his countrymen behind. 2017, James Jackson, Cradle, Bonnier Publishing Fiction Ltd., →ISBN:

Forms