: a Malay or Indonesian dagger with a ridged serpentine blade

Examples of kris in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Raya carries a sword inspired by the Indonesian kris. NBC News, 3 Mar. 2021 During the sultan’s time, Pesarean was famous for the manufacture of Javanese daggers, known as kris. Larry C. Price, National Geographic, 31 May 2016

Word History

Etymology

Malay kĕris

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kris was circa 1580

Dictionary Entries Near kris

Cite this Entry

“Kris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kris. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on kris

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!