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The
cutlass developed after the 16th century as a purely cutting/slashing
weapon. By definition, the cutlass was a curved
European blade with a plain, guarded hilt, similar in shape
and use to the saber. The cutlass descended in design from the
Turkish scimitar and Egyptian khopesh; in fact, the name cutlass
derives from the term curtle-axe which is an Anglicization of
the Turkish curtus and axe. Cutlasses were most
popular among naval infantry soldiers.
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