broadsword

/ˈbɹɔːd.sɔːd/

//ˈbɹɔːd.sɔːd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"broadsword" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“broadsword” is uncommon English (frequency #67,283 among 4,121 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#67,283
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A type of early modern sword that has a broad double-edged blade for cutting (as opposed to the more slender thrust-oriented rapier) and typically a basket hilt.

Corpus desk

Index EN-broadsword · broadsword · English

broadsword · rank #67,283 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #67,283
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH brogue

Nearest frequency peer: brogue (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “broadsword”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “broadsword” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for broadsword
PropertyValue
Headwordbroadsword
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɹɔːd.sɔːd/
Letters10
Frequency rank#67,283
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “broadsword” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).broadswordfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “brogue” (#67,284), “buffeted” (#67,286), “boult” (#67,279). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “broadsword” is #67,283. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

broadsword is uncommon English at frequency #67,283 among 4,121 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbɹɔːd.sɔːd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for broadsword in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From broad + sword. The correct English form is broadsword, spelled B-R-O-A-D-S-W-O-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A type of early modern sword that has a broad double-edged blade for cutting (as opposed to the more slender thrust-oriented rapier) and typically a basket hilt.
  2. 2
    A person armed with such a sword.
  3. 3
    Synonym of longsword.
  4. 4
    A flat, rectangular bread made from corn (maize) and beans by the Cherokee, traditionally by boiling rather than baking it.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how broadsword appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The principal distinction between the broadsword and the rapier is, that the latter is formed only for thrusting, while the former is adapted for cutting also. Indeed, those who use the broadsword are, in my opinion, too apt to neglect the use of the point, and to give their attention almost exclusively to the cuts.
  2. One version of the broadsword, the Highland broadsword, was adopted as the national sword of Scotland. Another, the schiavona, was Italy's version of the weapon.

Etymology

From broad + sword.

This word in other languages

estramaçon(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "broadsword"?
"broadsword" is spelled B-R-O-A-D-S-W-O-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɹɔːd.sɔːd/.
What does "broadsword" mean?
As a noun, "broadsword" means: A type of early modern sword that has a broad double-edged blade for cutting (as opposed to the more slender thrust-oriented rapier) and typically a basket hilt.
How do you pronounce "broadsword"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "broadsword" is /ˈbɹɔːd.sɔːd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "broadsword"?
From broad + sword. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "broadsword", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

bookmaking#67,272Chittenden#67,308coalescing#67,316altarpiece#67,213

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list