Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
knobkerrie

knobkerrie

1 9.9
A short wooden club with a heavy rounded end used as a weapon or walking stick in southern Africa
  • noun
  • South African
: knobkerrie
  • The old warrior skillfully used his knobkerrie to defend himself against potential threats during his travels.

Examples

  • He walked confidently through the village, holding a traditional knobkerrie as both a walking stick and a symbol of his heritage.

  • Martha had a knobkerrie, and Inkululeko was brandishing the kindling hatchet.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Who knows, if given a chance, Plunkett may take a knobkerrie and hammer those biomechanists for changing his action.

    Blog text (19)

  • Another object that may well have a similar pedigree is an unusual ornamented knobkerrie that was purchased by the museum in 1894 (Fig. 12).

    Academic text (1995)

  • In the museum, visitors admired the beautifully carved knobkerrie that showcased the craftsmanship of Southern African artisans.

Synonyms

billy club
vsknobkerrie
  • US
6 6.7

A short thick stick police carry to hit or defend themselves

is a traditional wooden walking weapon from southern Africa with a rounded end

Surface Forms

knobkerrie singular
knobkerries plural

Etymology

Knobkerrie comes from Afrikaans parts knob and kerrie, which mean 'knob' and 'stick'. So the name describes a short wooden club with a heavy round end, which is why it is used as both a weapon and a walking stick.