[ kə:'tα:nə , -'teɪnə ]
■ noun the unpointed sword carried in front of English sovereigns at their coronation to represent mercy.
Origin
ME: from Anglo-Latin ~ (spatha) 'shortened (sword)', from OFr. cortain , the name of the sword belonging to Charlemagne's paladin Roland (the point of which was damaged), from cort 'short', from L. curtus 'cut short'.