blade

UK: /ˈbleɪd/ US: /bleɪd/ ,(blād)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

blade /bleɪd/   n. [countable]

1. Heraldry the flat cutting part of an implement, as a knife:
   The blade on this knife is dull.
2. Heraldry sword.
3. a similar part, as of a mechanism, used for clearing, etc:
   windshield wiper blades.
4. Botany the leaf of a plant, esp. of a grass:
   a few blades of grass; The blades of this leaf have three sharp points.
5. Sport the metal part of an ice skate that comes into contact with the ice;
   runner:
   the edge of her blade.
6. a thin, flat part of something:
   the blade of an oar.
7. a dashing, swaggering, or jaunty young man:
   a gay blade.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

blade  (blād), n. 

1. Heraldry the flat cutting part of a sword, knife, etc.
2. Heraldry a sword, rapier, or the like.
3. a similar part, as of a mechanism, used for clearing, wiping, scraping, etc.:
   the blade of a windshield wiper; the blade of a bulldozer.
4. Aeronautics the arm of a propeller or other similar rotary mechanism, as an electric fan or turbine.
5. [Bot.]
   • Botany the leaf of a plant, esp. of a grass or cereal.
   • Botany the broad part of a leaf, as distinguished from the stalk or petiole. See illus. under leaf. 
6. Sport the metal part of an ice skate that comes into contact with the ice.
7. a thin, flat part of something, as of an oar or a bone:
   shoulder blade.
8. a dashing, swaggering, or jaunty young man:
   a gay blade from the nearby city.
9. Heraldry a swordsman.
10. Phonetics
    • the foremost and most readily flexible portion of the tongue, including the tip and implying the upper and lower surfaces and edges.
    • the upper surface of the tongue directly behind the tip, lying beneath the alveolar ridge when the tongue is in a resting position.
11. Agriculture, Birds the elongated hind part of a fowl's single comb.

• bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English blæd blade of grass; cognate with Dutch blad, Old Norse blath, German Blatt; akin to blow³

blade′less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

blade / bleɪd/ noun

1. the part of a sharp weapon, tool, etc, that forms the cutting edge
2. the thin flattish part of various tools, implements, etc, as of a propeller, turbine, etc
3. the flattened expanded part of a leaf, sepal, or petal
4. the long narrow leaf of a grass or related plant
5. the striking surface of a bat, club, stick, or oar
6. the metal runner on an ice skate
7. the upper part of the tongue lying directly behind the tip
8. a dashing or swaggering young man
9. short for shoulder blade
10. a poetic word for a sword, swordsman

Etymology: Old English blæd; related to Old Norse blath leaf, Old High German blat, Latin folium leaf

ˈbladed adjective