Excalibur

[ ek-skal-uh-ber ]

noun

1. Arthurian Legend. the magic sword of King Arthur.

Excalibur

/ ɛkˈskælɪbə /

noun

1. (in Arthurian legend) the magic sword of King Arthur

Excalibur

1. The sword of King Arthur (see also Arthur ). In one version of the legends of Arthur, he proved his right to rule by pulling Excalibur out of a stone. In another version, he received Excalibur from a maiden, the Lady of the Lake, to whom he returned it at the end of his life.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Excalibur¹

C14: from Old French Escalibor, from Medieval Latin Caliburnus, from Welsh Caledvwlch, perhaps related to Irish Caladbolg a legendary sword (literally: hard belly, hence, voracious)

Example Sentences

The reports, first revealed by The Washington Post, focus on the American-made Excalibur, a 155-millimeter guided artillery shell, and the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb or GLSDB.

From New York Times

The systems blast out so much interference that they drown out the GPS signal that guides the Excalibur’s targeting software, said Thomas Withington, an associate fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute and a specialist in electronic warfare.

From New York Times

The Mirage’s opening kicked off a resort building and remodeling spree that included the debut of the Circus Circus’ Excalibur in June 1990, the $250-million renovation of Caesars Palace and the opening of Treasure Island in 1994.

From Los Angeles Times

March 28, 2024Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Excalibur Pizza is the owner of Round Table Pizza.

From Los Angeles Times

One of Round Table Pizza’s franchisees, Excalibur Pizza, said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining notification, a 60-day written notice of forthcoming layoffs, that it planned to eliminate 73 driver positions by mid-April.

From Los Angeles Times