machete

noun

ma·​chete mə-ˈshe-tē How to pronounce machete (audio)
-ˈche-;
-ˈshet
: a large heavy knife used for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon

Examples of machete in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Concerning incidents have occurred including ballot boxes being set on fire in Oregon and Washington and a Trump supporter being arrested in Neptune Beach, Florida for threatening two Kamala Harris supporters with a machete outside an early voting site. Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024 The city's discovery didn't require breaking through the jungle with machetes or patiently excavating with brushes and spatulas. Anna Lagos, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024 In some places, officers are using machetes to slice through thick brush, Pennington said earlier. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 9 Sep. 2024 Rather than a machete, Auld-Thomas armed himself with a search engine. Anna Lagos, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for machete 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of machete was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near machete

Cite this Entry

“Machete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machete. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

machete

noun
ma·​chete mə-ˈshet-ē How to pronounce machete (audio)
-ˈchet-ē;
mə-ˈshet
: a large heavy knife used especially for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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