truncheon

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a short, thick club carried as a weapon by a police officer

   The constable raised his truncheon but did not strike the suspect.

2. 2
   noun

   a short staff or baton used historically as a symbol of military or civic authority

   The marshal's truncheon served as a visible sign of his command.

From Middle English tronchoun, through Old French troncon ("piece cut off; stump; club") from a Late Latin derivative of Latin truncus ("trunk; cut-off piece"). The sense moved from a broken piece of wood to a short staff or club.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary