dagger

noun

dag·​ger ˈda-gər How to pronounce dagger (audio)
1
: a sharp pointed knife for stabbing
2
a
: something that resembles a dagger
b
: a character † used as a reference mark or to indicate a death date
daggerlike adjective
Phrases
at daggers drawn
: in a state of open hostility or conflict
look daggers or stare daggers
: to stare angrily
they looked daggers at each other across the table

Examples of dagger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While searching a Polish forest in November, a metal detectorist made a rare discovery: a 4,000-year-old copper dagger that may have belonged to an elite warrior. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Her only tools are a brass dagger stitched into her bodice and a filigreed orb that serves as a lamp. Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Archaeologists identified the artifact as an extremely rare 4,000-year-old dagger. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 Lily Hansford’s consecutive 3-pointers were the daggers although Oregon did pull within one possession in the final 30 seconds. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024 Jalen Duren delivered the dagger 37 seconds left, finishing a dunk to give the Pistons a 110-106 cushion. Omari Sankofa Ii, Detroit Free Press, 25 Jan. 2024 Pratt, averaging now 18.9 points over his last nine contests, hit a dagger three from the corner off a nifty skip pass from BJ Freeman with 1:56 to play that put Milwaukee up by six. Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2024 For those of us whose parents have tried to look past or deny our queerness, those microaggressions can feel like daggers. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2024 Each successive Green 3-pointer just served as another dagger to the heart of a hearty Los Gatos contingent who made the trip up 880 to Oakland. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dagger.' 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

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dagger was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dagger

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

dagger

noun
dag·​ger ˈdag-ər How to pronounce dagger (audio)
1
: a short weapon for stabbing
2
: a symbol † used in printing as a reference mark to indicate a death date
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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