A Sabre Is Curved, a Rapier Is Not
A sabre is a heavy sword with a curved blade. In fencing it is one of three weapons, each with its own rules.
A sabre is a heavy sword with a curved single-edged blade, developed for cutting from horseback. Fencing keeps three weapons and the sabre is the only one where you may score with the edge: foil and épée are thrusting weapons and only the point counts, while sabre allows cuts, which is the cavalry heritage showing through. The word reached English through French and German from Hungarian *szablya*, from a verb meaning to cut.
- A curved sword. *A cavalry sabre.*
- A fencing weapon. *Sabre fencing.*
- Sabre-rattling — a show of force. *Sabre-rattling.*
- Foil, épée — the other weapons. *Foil and épée.*
- Hungarian — *szablya*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (UK) | sabre | A sabre. |
| Noun (US) | saber | A saber. |
| Plural | sabres | Sabres. |
| Compound | sabre-rattling | Sabre-rattling. |
| Hungarian | szablya | A sabre. |
- The cavalry drew their sabres.Military.
- She competes in sabre.Fencing.
- The speech was pure sabre-rattling.Idiom.
The three fencing weapons
- Foil — point only, target is the torso
- Épée — point only, the whole body is target
- Sabre — point and edge, target above the waist
- Right of way — applies in foil and sabre, not épée
- All three are scored electrically in modern competition
French *sabre*, from German *Sabel*, from Hungarian *szablya*, from *szabni*, to cut.
How does sabre differ from foil and épée?
Sabre allows scoring with the edge as well as the point, reflecting its cavalry origin. The other two are thrusting weapons only.
What does sabre-rattling mean?
A threatening display of military strength intended to intimidate rather than to start a war.