crossguard

English

Etymology

The hilt of a sword from Sweden dating to 1650. The crossguard is the bar perpendicular to the blade and the handle.

From cross (adjective) +‎ guard (noun).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɒsɡɑːd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɔsˌɡɑɹd/, (cot–caught merger) /ˈkɹɑs-/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: cross‧guard

Noun

crossguard (plural crossguards)

2. (swords) A metal bar fixed between, and at right angles to, the blade and the handle of a sword or other bladed weapon that stops an opponent's similar weapon from sliding along the blade and injuring the hand of the person wielding the sword.

   Synonyms: guard, quillon (one sense)

   Holonym: hilt

   Meronym: quillon (one sense)

   Comeronyms: grip, pommel, ricasso

Translations

metal bar fixed between, and at right angles to, the blade and the handle of a sword

• Dutch: pareerstang f
• Finnish: väistin (fi)
• French: garde (fr) f
• German: Parierstange f
• Italian: elsa (it) f
• Polish: garda (pl) f, jelec (pl) m
• Swedish: parerstag, parerstång (sv)

Further reading

• crossguard on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “cross-guard, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2024.