main-gauche

noun

A relatively large dagger, especially popular in the 17th century. It was held in the left hand (the non-dominant hand), while the rapier was held in the right. It was mainly used to parry thrusts of the adversary's rapier.

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Meanings

noun
  1. historicalA relatively large dagger, especially popular in the 17th century. It was held in the left hand (the non-dominant hand), while the rapier was held in the right. It was mainly used to parry thrusts of the adversary's rapier.

Origin

French, left hand.

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Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: main-gauche on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.