blade

1 of 2

noun

plural blades
1
a
: leaf sense 1a(1)
especially : the leaf of an herb or a grass
b
: the flat expanded part of a leaf as distinguished from the petiole : lamina sense 3a
2
: something resembling the blade of a leaf: such as
a
: the broad flattened part of an oar or paddle
b
: an arm of a screw propeller, electric fan, or steam turbine
c
: the broad flat or concave part of a machine (such as a bulldozer or snowplow) that comes into contact with the material to be moved
d
: a broad flat body part
specifically : scapula
used chiefly in naming cuts of meat
Top blade steaks range from four to eight ounces each. Molly Stevens
see also shoulder blade
e
: the flattened photosynthetic part of an algae that typically arises from the stipe : lamina sense 3b
f
: the flat portion of the tongue immediately behind the tip
also : this portion together with the tip
3
a
: the cutting part of an implement
b(1)
: sword
(2)
(3)
: a dashing lively man
c
: the runner of an ice skate
bladelike adjective

blade

2 of 2

verb

bladed; blading
1
transitive golf : to hit (a ball or shot) with the leading edge of the clubface : skull
I hit a wedge from 45 yards and basically bladed it over the green.Tiger Woods
2
intransitive : to skate on in-line skates
Connect a pair of these wild things to your feet and you are blading—cruising with all the cool of ice skating but without the ice.Bob Batz, Jr.
blader noun

Examples of blade in a Sentence

Noun the blade of an ax dueled with blades rather than guns
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The aerospace industry had been using the material to make the blades of some jet engines. Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 The weapon features a Sword Mode, which has a shield an blade similar to the first weapon players receive in the game. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 The puck bounced off the ice and then off the blade of Barkov’s stick. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 The warrant application sought knives, blades, cutting instruments and other items. Christina Coulter, Fox News, 1 Mar. 2024 The bracelet secures with a folding clasp, featuring three steel blades and the Moser logo, a subtle nod to the brand's attention to detail. Bhanu Chopra, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 The bird is particularly dinosaur-like, with red, scaly skin around her amber eyes, and a beak as long and sharp as Crocodile Dundee’s blade. Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2024 This quality preservation offered the scientists detailed looks at the early instruments—blades, flakes and scrapers. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024 Black, high-carbon stainless steel blades are attachted to black, non-slip handles with a copper strip that lend a very I-know-what-I’m-doing-in-the-kitchen vibe. Michelle Duncan, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
Here’s how to make cleaning ceiling fan blades a breeze with a pillowcase and a little vinegar. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2024 Favorite Hobbies: Hiking, roller blading, studying astrology, reading, camping, cooking for friends, listening to music. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2023 When the time came to haul the towers and blades out to sea, they were loaded on a barge that could hold enough parts to make a single turbine. Patrick McGeehan, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024 And at less than 25 cents a blade, a pack of 50 should last me more than a year, since the brand notes that most users swap blades out every five to eight shaves. Erika Veurink, wsj.com, 27 Dec. 2023 As part of the procedure, doctors use a laser or bladed catheter to remove plaque from the patients’ vessel walls. Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 12 Dec. 2023 Treatments include widening the arteries with stents and balloons and clearing plaque from vessel walls with a laser or bladed catheter, also known as an atherectomy. Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 12 Dec. 2023 Roller blading to the grocery store; running in the park with her daughter; performing martial arts and walking the beat as a private security guard. Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023 Steel recipes are designed to balance or accentuate properties such as ease of sharpness, edge wearability, blade hardness, and overall sharpness, and there isn’t one best choice for all applications. T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 5 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English blæd; akin to Old High German blat leaf, Latin folium, Greek phyllon, Old English blōwan to blossom — more at blow

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1959, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blade was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near blade

Cite this Entry

“Blade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blade. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blade

noun
ˈblād
1
a
: a leaf of a plant and especially of a grass
b
: the broad flat part of a leaf as distinguished from its stalk
2
a
: the broad flat part of an oar or paddle
b
: an arm of a propeller, electric fan, or steam turbine
3
a
: the cutting part of a tool
c
: the runner of an ice skate
4
: a bold lively man
bladed
ˈblād-əd
adjective

Medical Definition

blade

noun
1
: a broad flat body part (as the shoulder blade)
2
: the flat portion of the tongue immediately behind the tip
also : this portion together with the tip
3
: a flat working and especially cutting part of an implement (as a scalpel)

More from Merriam-Webster on blade

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