rapier
/ˈɹeɪpˌɪə(ɹ)/noun, adjective
rapier is spelled R-A-P-I-E-R: 6 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,230th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, rapier means “A slender, straight, sharply pointed sword (double-edged, single-edged or edgeless), designed predominantly for thrusting; used during the…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of rapier is rapiers.
How many letters and syllables are in rapier?
| Letters | 6: R-A-P-I-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 48,230th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is rapier?
Rapier appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,230th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce rapier?
- UK /ˈɹeɪpˌɪə(ɹ)/
Rapier has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-rapier.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with rapier?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as rapier (/eɪpɪə/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: repair.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of rapier
- rapiers plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does rapier mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A slender, straight, sharply pointed sword (double-edged, single-edged or edgeless), designed predominantly for thrusting; used during the Renaissance period of Europe for civilian duelling
adjective
- 1
Extremely sharp.
- 2
Cutting; employing keen wit.
John is very quick on his feet during interviews by using his rapier responses.
- 3
comparative form of rapey: more rapey
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Rapier in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense slender straight sharply pointed sword:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | rapière |
| German | Florett, Rapier, Stoßdegen |
| Portuguese | florete, rapieira |
| Spanish | estoque, espada ropera |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does rapier come from?
Borrowed from Middle French rapiere, from Middle French (espee) rapiere, from Old French rapiere, raspiere, from Spanish raspadera (“poker; raker; scraper”), from Spanish raspar (“to scrape”), of Germanic origin. More at rasp.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).