n. A short pike carried by infantry officers and sergeants in the 1700s. [French sponton, from Italian spuntone : s-, intensive pref.; see SFORZANDO + puntone, kind of weapon, augmentative of punto, point (from Latin pūnctum, from neuter past participle of pungere, to pierce, prick; see peuk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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