saber

1 of 2

noun

sa·​ber ˈsā-bər 

variants or chiefly British sabre

1

: a cavalry sword with a curved blade, thick back, and guard

2

a

: a light fencing or dueling sword having an arched guard that covers the back of the hand and a tapering flexible blade with a full cutting edge along one side and a partial cutting edge on the back at the tip compare épée, foil entry 4

b

: the sport of fencing with the saber

Illustration of saber

• saber 1

saber

2 of 2

verb

variants or chiefly British sabre

sabered or sabred; sabering or sabring ˈsā-b(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

: to strike, cut, or kill with a saber

Examples of saber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Watching the color of Sol’s saber switch in Osha’s hands is one of the standout moments in Episode 8, revealing Osha’s change of heart to her explicitly. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 18 July 2024

In an interview, Mr. Gelman expressed frustration that little was being done to address saber fencing’s problems. —Jeré Longman, New York Times, 9 May 2024

Friday is Star Wars Night, featuring a light saber giveaway. —Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 16 Aug. 2019

Dragons, light sabers and bears, oh my! Summer 2024 promises big things for TV. —Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 30 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French sabre, modification of German dialect Sabel, from Middle High German, probably of Slav origin; akin to Russian sablya saber

First Known Use

Noun

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1790, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing saber

• false saber-tooth cat
• false saber-toothed cat
• false saber-toothed tiger
• saber rattling
• saber saw
• saber-tooth cat
• saber-toothed
• saber-toothed cat
• saber-toothed tiger
• saber-tooth tiger

Kids Definition

saber

noun

sa·​ber

variants or sabre

ˈsā-bər

: a cavalry sword with a curved blade