n.
Variant: or sa · bre
Pronunciation: ' s ā -b ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: French sabre, modification of German dialect Sabel, from Middle High German, probably of Slavic origin; akin to Russian sablya saber
Date: 1680
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 b : the sport of fencing with the saber