Meaning & use
swordsmanship
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
The skill or art of fighting with a sword.
Grammar: Uncountable, so it does not take 'a' or a plural: His swordsmanship is excellent. Not 'a swordsmanship'.
Patterns
- good/excellent swordsmanship
- skill in swordsmanship
- practice swordsmanship
His swordsmanship impressed everyone at the tournament.
She trained for years to improve her swordsmanship.
The movie is famous for its realistic swordsmanship.
Common combinations
- skilled swordsmanship
- The knight was known for his skilled swordsmanship.
- master of swordsmanship
- He became a master of swordsmanship after decades of practice.
- display of swordsmanship
- The crowd watched a brilliant display of swordsmanship.
- swordsmanship skills
- Her swordsmanship skills were tested in the final duel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fencing
- A specific modern sport of fighting with thin swords; 'swordsmanship' is broader and often refers to historical or fantasy combat.
- swordplay
- Similar but often used for playful or dramatic fighting rather than serious skill.
Word family
- swordsman noun
- A person who fights with a sword.
- swordswoman noun
- A woman who fights with a sword.
Commonly confused: swordsmanship or marksmanship?
swordsmanship vs marksmanship
Marksmanship is the skill of shooting a gun or bow accurately; swordsmanship is about using a sword.
Practice
The prince was admired for his ______.
Choose one answer.
'Swordsmanship' is an uncountable noun, so it is used without 'a' or a plural. 'Swordsmanships' is not a word; 'a swordsmanship' is wrong because uncountable nouns don't take 'a'; 'swordsman' means a person, not the skill.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “swordsmanship”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.