# saber

/ˈseɪbɝ/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/saber
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a heavy sword with a curved blade that was used by soldiers on horses in the past.

For teachers: a heavy cavalry sword with a curved, single-edged blade and a large hand guard. In modern contexts, it refers to a light, flexible fencing weapon with a triangular blade.

## Examples

- The museum displays a silver saber from the nineteenth century.
- The officer drew his saber and signaled for the cavalry to begin their charge across the field.
- While the historical saber was designed for heavy cutting strokes from horseback, the modern fencing variant emphasizes speed and precision within a strictly defined target area.

## Pitfalls

- Not "he saber the enemy" but "he attacked with a saber" — While 'saber' can be a verb, it is almost exclusively used as a noun in modern English; learners should use it as an object of an action.

## Usage notes

- Commonly spelled 'sabre' in British English.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.