katzbalger

K5A1T1Z10B3A1L1G2E1R1

noun

A short Renaissance arming sword, of sturdy build, with a distinctive ess- or eight-shaped guard, the signature blade of the Landsknecht, used for close-quarters combat.

Scrabble 26

Meanings

katzbalger1

nounkatzbalger (plural katzbalgers)

plural katzbalgers

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Katzbalger.

    Everyone now had either a rapier, a sword, or a katzbalger in his fist. Steel met steel when the decision was being made in close combat.

    2020, Tina Berg, The Devil Nun, Babelcube Inc., →ISBN
    3 more examples

    It also leads to the small cutting swords, the katzbalgers, the special sidearm of the lansquenets. Under influence of the Asiatic and the East European cavalry's single-edged, more or less curved weapons, sabres, came ...

    1961, Gladius, page 28

    ... the second half of the 12th century with an inscription that is clearly related to the so-called “Benedictus” group from the same period, as well as a katzbalger or Landsknecht sword from the second quarter of the 16th century.

    2010, Jan Piet Puype, Harm Stevens, Arms and Armour of Knights and Landsknechts in the Netherlands Army Museum, Eburon Uitgeverij B.V., →ISBN, page 8

    Hardy drew his katzbalger and turned. Standing behind him were seven men. They were armed with swords and spiked clubs and exuded the boastful enjoyment of predators on a hunt, confident of their supremacy ...

    2016, James Jackson, Treason, Bonnier Publishing Fiction Ltd., →ISBN

Katzbalger2

nounKatzbalger (plural Katzbalgers)

plural Katzbalgers · alternative katzbalger

  1. A short Renaissance arming sword, of sturdy build, with a distinctive ess- or eight-shaped guard, the signature blade of the Landsknecht, used for close-quarters combat.

    Perhaps the most famous example of a Katzbalger is that of the military leader Ulrick von Schellenberg, dating from about 1515;

    1986, Leonid Tarassuk, Claude Blair, The Complete Encyclopedia of Arms & Weapons: The Most Comprehensive Reference Work Ever Published on Arms and Armor, Random House Value Pub, page 294
    2 more examples

    A Katzbalger, if I remembered my history correctly. The blade was made of a dull gray metal. Tiny lines of black text were etched along the edges.

    2015, Jim C. Hines, Unbound, Penguin, →ISBN

    'I have a musket, a bow, a Katzbalger blade and a watchful hound as sentinel.' 'Be careful, Christian.' 'My luck has held so far.' He slipped into the woods, leaving the fishing scene and the chatter of his countrymen behind.

    2017, James Jackson, Cradle, Bonnier Publishing Fiction Ltd., →ISBN

Origin

  1. GermanKatzbalger
  2. EnglishKatzbalger

From German Katzbalger.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

katzbalger. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/katzbalger

MLA

“katzbalger.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/katzbalger. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “katzbalger,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/katzbalger.

Source: katzbalger on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.