A cutlass's a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard. Etymology The word cutlass, recorded in English since 1594,'s probably derived from the Genoese cotelasso (disparaging form of coltello, 'knife'), the name of a short, broad-bladed sabre popular in Italy during the 16th century, via the French coutelas, or coutelace, a form of coutel, modern couteau, a knife… (More on Cutlass)