pikestaffs

noun

plural of pikestaff
as in spears
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade pikestaffs were in use from the Middle Ages to the 18th century

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pikestaffs
  1. spears
  2. javelins
  3. lances
Noun
  • Protective, almost — which makes sense, as its stunning chandeliers are designed to look like the shields and spears of African Masai warriors.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The kitchen’s electrical oven roasts them during the daytime; they’re then chilled and served cold, with hot sauce, a ramekin of mayonnaise, and a pile of pickle spears.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of spears
Noun
  • Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued.
    — R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.
    — Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Definition of javelins
Noun
  • Snow cannons and lances are the visible part of the snowmaking network.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Bottom cleaners use lances to scrape biofoul off hulls.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
Definition of lances
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.

Browse Nearby Words

pikestaff
pikestaffs
piking
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Cite this Entry

“Pikestaffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pikestaffs. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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