kukri

[ kook-ree ]

noun

1. a large knife having a heavy curved blade that is sharp on the concave side, used by the Napalese Gurkhas for hunting and combat.

kukri

/ ˈkʊkrɪ /

noun

1. a knife with a curved blade that broadens towards the point, esp as used by Gurkhas

Word History and Origins

Origin of kukri¹

First recorded in 1805–15, kukri is from the Hindi word kukṛī

Word History and Origins

Origin of kukri¹

from Hindi

Example Sentences

He had advanced on officers with what police described as a kukri, a type of sword, and a less-than-lethal “sponge round” had failed to stop him, police said.

From Seattle Times

A kukri is a short sword with an angled blade that originated in South Asia.

From Seattle Times

Sayed Faisal, 20, a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston, was shot Jan. 4 while advancing on officers with what police described as a kukri and after a less-than-lethal “sponge round” failed to stop him, authorities have said.

From Seattle Times

According to the detective, Bickford said he waited until he saw an officer alone, said “Allahu Akbar,” walked up to him and hit him over the head with the machete, which he said was a kukri — a machete-like blade with South Asian origins.

From Seattle Times

When they took a closer look, they found that though the Insta-snakes looked a lot like the common Kukri, they had different scale structures and broader bands.

From Washington Post