lance

1 of 2

noun

ˈlan(t)s 

1

: a steel-tipped spear carried by mounted knights or light cavalry

2

: any of various sharp objects suggestive of a lance: such as

a

: lancet

b

: a spear used for killing whales or fish

3

: lancer sense 1b

lance

2 of 2

verb

lanced; lancing

transitive verb

1

a

: to pierce with or as if with a lance

b

: to open with or as if with a lancet

lance a boil

2

: to throw forward : hurl

intransitive verb

: to move forward quickly

Synonyms

Noun

• javelin
• pike
• pikestaff
• shaft
• spear

Verb

• gore
• harpoon
• impale
• jab
• peck
• pick
• pierce
• pink
• puncture
• run through
• skewer
• spear
• spike
• spit
• stab
• stick
• transfix
• transpierce

Examples of lance in a Sentence

Noun

the lance struck squarely on the knight's shield, knocking him from his horse

Verb

He had the boil on his arm lanced.

doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

With about a thousand Mexicans in front of him, Yell charged alone with his sword in hand, apparently killing several Mexicans until brought down by multiple lance wounds. —Arkansas Online, 3 May 2025

But every individual had suffered some sort of devastating injury—like wounds made by swords, lances, daggers and iron bolts. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025

Verb

If unresolved in two more weeks, lancing the lesion, doing a punch biopsy, or removing it might end up needing to be done. —Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025

Her symptoms were pretty challenging—a series of painful nodules that needed to be lanced and drained. —Julia Ries, SELF, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin lancea

Verb

Middle English launcen, from Anglo-French lancer, from Late Latin lanceare, from Latin lancea

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing lance

• fer-de-lance
• free lance
• lance corporal
• sand lance

Rhymes for lance

• chance
• dance
• glance
• hance
• hanse
• manse
• prance
• stance
• trance
• advance
• askance
• enhance

Kids Definition

lance

1 of 2 noun

ˈlan(t)s 

1

: a weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharp steel head that was used by knights on horseback

2

: a sharp instrument

especially : lancet

lance

2 of 2 verb

lanced; lancing

: to pierce or cut with a lance or lancet

Medical Definition

lance

1 of 2 noun

ˈlan(t)s 

: lancet

lance

2 of 2 transitive verb

lanced; lancing

: to open with or as if with a lancet : make an incision in or into

lance a boil

lance a vein