tanto

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/ˈtɑntoʊ//ˈtæntoʊ/UK/ˈtæntəʊ/

noun

A traditional Japanese small sword or knife; often used as a secondary weapon to a katana.

Similar
tanto knife
OriginJapanese 短刀 ← Middle Chinese 短刀 →
Less commonScrabble 5
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Meanings

tanto1

nountanto (plural tanto or tantos)

plural tantos · alternative tantō · alternative tantou

  1. engineeringA traditional Japanese small sword or knife; often used as a secondary weapon to a katana.

    Synonyms: tanto knife

tanto2

adverbtanto (not comparable)
  1. not comparableentertainmentSo much; too much.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA traditional Japanese small sword or knife; often used as a secondary weapon to a katana.

Similar
tanto knife

Origin

tanto · noun

  1. Middle Chinese短刀“dagger”
  2. Japanese短刀
  3. Englishtanto

Borrowed from Japanese 短刀 (tantō), from Middle Chinese 短刀 (twan^X taw, “dagger”).

More words from Japanese, Middle Chinese

Full word history & related roots →

tanto · adverb

  1. Italiantanto
  2. Italiantanto
  3. Englishtanto

Borrowed from Italian tanto.

More words from Italian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Japanese 短刀
  • 短刀traditional Japanese small sword

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with tanto

EsperantocantomantoportmanteauLepantobel cantodhaantomanteau
All rhymes →

Anagrams

nattoAtton
Cite this entry
APA

tanto. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tanto

MLA

“tanto.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tanto. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tanto,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tanto.

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