nunchuck

noun

nun·​chuck ˈnən-ˌchək 

variants or less commonly nunchuk

plural nunchucks also nunchuks

: a weapon that consists of two sticks joined by a short length of cord, chain, or rawhide : nunchaku

—usually plural

For a time, he walked around with a set of nunchucks in a holster strapped to his leg, like a six-shooter …

—Patrick Redden Keefe

… surprised a pair of burglars, one of whom was carrying a knife and two nunchuks.

—American Rifleman

Examples of nunchuck in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Take a look at Snoop Dogg receiving Bruce Lee’s nunchucks above. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 26 Sep. 2024

These include air rifles, paintball guns, combat gloves, billy clubs, swords, axes, slingshots, metal water bottles, aerosol cans, ladders, BB guns, pellet guns, nunchucks, shovels or other things that could be used to hurt people or damage property. —Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 10 July 2024

One deputy, identified in the complaint as Daniel Rodriguez, used a pair of nunchucks to control Peters’ right arm, according to the lawsuit — and eventually applied enough force to break his wrist and sever two arteries. —Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 10 June 2024

The incident prompted the Denver Sheriff Department to ban the use of specialized nunchucks for law enforcement officers. —Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 10 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably representing Anglicization of nunchaku (with stress shift and deletion of final vowel)

Note: Alternatively, final vowel loss may reflect devoicing of -u in Japanese.

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above