Rapier

A rapier (/ˈreɪpiər/) is a type of sword originally used in Spain (known as espada ropera, 'dress sword') and Italy (known as spada da lato a striscia). The name designates a sword with a straight, slender and sharply pointed two-edged long blade wielded in one hand. Known for its elegant design and intricate hilt, it was widely popular in Western Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries as a symbol of nobility or gentleman status.

It is called espada ropera because it was carried as an accessory to clothing, generally used for fashion and as a weapon for dueling, self-defense and as a military side arm. Its name is of Spanish origin and appears recorded for the first time in the Coplas de la panadera, by Juan de Mena, written approximately between 1445 and 1450:

Say, baker.
A Wednesday that left
Prince Enrique
to look for some good bite
for his espada ropera,
he left without another wait
from Olmedo such a great company,
that with very beautiful skill
to the Port was withdrawn.

As fencing spread throughout Western Europe, important sources for rapier fencing arose in Spain, known under the term destreza ("dexterity"), in Italy and France. The French small sword or court sword of the 18th century was a direct continuation of this tradition of fencing.

Rapier fencing forms part of Historical European Martial Arts. The rapier has also been widely used in theatrical productions and films. The Society of American Fight Directors recognizes rapier and dagger as one of the eight main weapon disciplines of stage combat.

The origin of the name 'rapier' is Spanish. Its name is a "derisive" description of the Spanish term ropera. The Spanish term refers to a sword used with clothes (espada ropera, 'dress sword'), due to it being used as an accessory for clothing, usually for fashion and as a self-defense weapon. The English term "rapier" comes from the French rapière and appears both in English and German, near-simultaneously, in the mid-16th century, for a light, long, pointed two-edged sword. It is a loan from Middle French espee rapiere, first recorded in 1474, a nickname meaning 'grater'.

The 16th-century German rappier described what was considered a foreign weapon, imported from Spain, Italy, and France. Du Cange in his Middle Latin dictionary cites a form Rapperia from a Latin text of 1511. He envisages a derivation from Greek ραπίζειν (rapízein) 'to strike'. Adelung in his 1798 dictionary records a double meaning for the German verb rappieren: 'to fence with rapiers' on one hand, and 'to rasp, grate (specifically of tobacco leaves)' on the other.

The terms used by the Spanish, Italian and French masters during the heyday of this weapon were simply the equivalent of "sword", i.e. espada, spada and épée (espée). When it was necessary to specify the type of sword the Spanish used espada ropera. The name was registered for the first time in las Coplas de la panadera, by Juan de Mena, written between 1445 and 1450 approximately.