machete

noun

ma·​chete mə-ˈshe-tē How to pronounce machete (audio)
-ˈche-;
-ˈshet
: a large heavy knife used for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon

Examples of machete in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Still armed with machetes, Andrademembreno and Diaz continued to chase Morales through the apartment complex, prosecutors said. Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025 Hacking a path through dense jungle with a machete. Kit Bernardi, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025 Bohler is reportedly accused of approaching Rakeem Tayquon Young, 34, while Young was walking his dog, Chanel, and pulling out a machete while threatening to kill the animal. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025 There are flies in the folds of her kitchen curtains, probably, and a machete left out on the lawn. Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for machete

Word History

Etymology

Spanish

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of machete was in 1575

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Machete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machete. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

machete

noun
ma·​chete mə-ˈshet-ē How to pronounce machete (audio)
-ˈchet-ē;
mə-ˈshet
: a large heavy knife used especially for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon

More from Merriam-Webster on machete

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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