halberd

UK: /ˈhælbəd/

US: (hal′bərd, hôl′-, hol′-; formerly hô′bərd)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hal•berd  (hal′bərd, hôl′-, hol′-; formerly hô′bərd), n. 

1. a shafted weapon with an axlike cutting blade, beak, and apical spike, used esp. in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Also, hal•bert  (hal′bərt, hôl′-, hol′-; formerly hô′bərt). 

• Middle Low German helmbarde, equivalent. to helm handle (cognate with helm¹) + barde broadax (cognate with Middle High German barte)
• Middle French hallebarde
• earlier haubert 1485–95

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

halberd / ˈhælbəd/, halbert / ˈhælbət/ noun

1. a weapon consisting of a long shaft with an axe blade and a pick, topped by a spearhead: used in 15th- and 16th-century warfare

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French hallebarde, from Middle High German helm handle, helm¹ + barde axe, from Old High German bart beard

ˌhalberˈdier noun