English Reference

Word

bayonet

Phoneticsbay·o·net

US/ˈbeɪəˌnɛt/

UK/bˈeɪənˌɛt/

Definitions

01weapon

B2

n. a long, sharp blade that is fixed to the end of a rifle for close-range fighting.

n. a blade adapted to fit the muzzle of a rifle, used for stabbing in close-quarters combat.

“The soldiers fixed their bayonets to their rifles before moving forward.”

“Historically, the bayonet was a decisive weapon in infantry charges, though its role in modern warfare has become largely ceremonial.”

Synonyms

02mechanical connector

C1 · Engineering

n. a type of connection where you push a part in and twist it to lock it, like some light bulbs.

n. a fitting or mount consisting of a pin that fits into a matching slot, secured by a partial turn.

“Make sure you buy a bayonet bulb rather than a screw-in one for this lamp.”

“The camera lens uses a bayonet mount, allowing the photographer to swap optics quickly and securely during a shoot.”

Technical

Usage

Often used as a modifier before another noun, such as 'bayonet mount' or 'bayonet fitting'.

03to stab

C2

v. to stab someone with the blade on the end of a rifle.

v. to stab or kill a person with a bayonet. Transitive, requiring a direct object.

“The enemy soldier was bayoneted during the chaotic night raid.”

“The historical account describes how the infantry were ordered to bayonet any remaining resistance in the trenches.”

Formal

Synonyms

Real-World Examples

“That September, the Lakota leader was bayoneted to death by an infantry guard during a scuffle at nearby Fort Robinson, in northwest Nebraska.”
Smithsonian Magazine · 24 Jun 2026
“Although researchers aren’t sure how he died, “he didn’t have any visible injuries to his skeletal structure, which means it was probably a soft tissue injury—maybe a bayonet,” Peacock says.”
Smithsonian Magazine · 10 Jul 2026

Etymology

Etymology tree French Bayonne Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tosder.? Late Latin -ittus Old French -et Middle French -et French -ette French baïonnetteder. English bayonet From French baïonnette, named after the French town of Bayonne, where the plug bayonet was invented.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domains

EngineeringMilitary

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference