blade

noun \ ˈblād \

Updated on: 28 Feb 2018

Definition of blade

1 a : leaf 1a(1); especially : the leaf of an herb or a grass

b : the flat expanded part of a leaf as distinguished from the petiole

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

e : 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) : swordsman

(3) : a dashing lively man

c : the runner of an ice skate

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bladelike

play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

See blade defined for English-language learners

See blade defined for kids

Examples of blade in a Sentence

the blade of an ax
dueled with blades rather than guns

Recent Examples of blade from the Web

Caulking Begin by using a stiff-blade putty knife to scrape off any old caulk or peeling paint from around the exterior perimeter of the window.

— joseph truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Winterize Drafty Windows," 29 Sep. 2017
Coarsely chop the cauliflower and place in the work bowl of a food processor with the steel chopping blade.

— jill wendholt silva, kansascity, "Move over tater tots: The waistline winner is Crispy Cauliflower Bites," 26 Sep. 2017
Turbines are still produced abroad, but in Hull Siemens, a German firm which makes some of Dong’s turbines, has this year started producing 75-metre blades.

— The Economist, "Hull of a wind behind itOff the coast of England, wind power takes off," 14 Sep. 2017
Perched on a low shelf of rock at the bottom of a wash, Lyson scrapes gingerly with the three-inch blade of a Swiss Army knife.

— mike sager, Smithsonian, "The Ultimate Summer Camp Activity: Digging for Dinosaurs," 13 Sep. 2017
The syrupy concoction is a crucial ingredient for making feathered headdresses, hide quivers, obsidian-blade sticks and other forms of ceremonial dance ornaments, or regalia, that are at once works of art and living conduits to the spirit world.

— patricia leigh brown, New York Times, "Traditions Revived at a Tribal Culture Camp," 10 Sep. 2017
The avocado toast the waiter eventually produces is beautiful in a casual way: a pale paste on top of bread, articulated into stripes with the blade of a knife.

— john birdsall, Bon Appetit, "Why Are We Still Talking About Avocado Toast?," 19 July 2017
There was no real argument: Phantom Menace was inept, the reverse-engineering was clunky, and the double-blade Darth Maul fight couldn't make up for it.

— matt patches, Esquire, "How I Forgave George Lucas and Learned to Love Star Wars Again," 4 May 2015
Consumers once bought lawn mower blades and refrigerator ice makers in a cavernous warehouse and distribution center now undergoing a thorough transformation.

— jacques kelly, baltimoresun.com, "Jacques Kelly: Project aims to return Baltimore-accented manufacturing to the Jones Falls Valley," 1 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blade.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of blade

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

blade Synonyms

Synonyms

cutter, knife;

Related Words

cleaver, hack;

bayonet, bodkin, bolo, bowie knife, cutlass, dagger, dirk, jackknife, machete, pocketknife, poniard, sheath knife, stiletto, stylet, switchblade, yataghan;

rapier, saber (or sabre), steel, sword;

scalpel;

Other Botany Terms

annual, burgeon, chloroplast, nomenclature, succulent, sylvan, xylem

blade

verb, transitive + intransitive

Definition of blade

bladed; blading

1 T 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 I : 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.

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blader

play \ˈblā-dər\ noun

Recent Examples of blade from the Web

Burr grinders, as opposed to blade grinders, grind the coffee more evenly and consistently.

— rachel marlowe, Vogue, "How to Make the Perfect Cup, According to California’s Coolest Coffee Brand," 5 July 2017
Sami Vatanen had a clear shot at goalie Cam Talbot but missed up high, and Andrew Cogliano had a chance to blade a puck out of the air at close range.

— mark whicker, Orange County Register, "Whicker: A new face stops the Ducks’ Game 7 jinx," 10 May 2017

First Known Use of blade

1959

BLADE Defined for English Language Learners

blade

noun

Definition of blade for English Language Learners

: the flat sharp part of a weapon or tool that is used for cutting
: one of the flat spinning parts that are used on some machines to push air or water
: the wide flat part of an oar or paddle