Halberd

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Halberd \Hal"berd\ (h[o^]l"b[~e]rd; 277), n. [F. hallebarde; of
     German origin; cf. MHG. helmbarte, G. hellebarte; prob.
     orig., an ax to split a helmet, fr. G. barte a broad ax
     (orig. from the same source as E. beard; cf. Icel. bar[eth]a,
     a kind of ax, skegg beard, skeggja a kind of halberd) + helm
     helmet; but cf. also MHG. helm, halm, handle, and E. helve.


     See {Beard}, {Helmet}.] (Mil.)
     An ancient long-handled weapon, of which the head had a point
     and several long, sharp edges, curved or straight, and
     sometimes additional points. The heads were sometimes of very
     elaborate form. [Written also {halbert}.]
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  halberd
       n : a pike fitted with an ax head