Meaning & use

rapier

noun·Advanced

A long, slender sword with a sharp point, designed mainly for thrusting rather than cutting.

See it in a sentence

The duelists faced each other with rapiers drawn in the moonlit courtyard.

Her rapier wit left the entire room laughing within seconds of her reply.

A note on using this word

'Rapier wit' is a common figurative phrase describing speech that is quick, sharp, and precisely cutting, borrowed from the sword's slender, piercing blade.

Words with a similar meaning

swordblade

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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