[a. OF. flamberge, proper name of the sword of the Paladin Roland and of that of Renaud of Montauban; hence, generally, a sword; the form Floberge occurs earlier, and is prob. more correct; of unknown (presumably Teut.) etymology.] A kind of fencing-sword or rapier.
1885. E. Castle, Schools & Masters of Fence (1892), 271. The sword … is a transition rapier of the Flamberg type, with a quadrangular blade, and a hilt in all respects, except the absent knuckle-bow, similar to the modern Italian duelling sword. Ibid., 333. The special character of this so-called Flamberg is the comparative simplicity of the hilt, which consists merely of quillons without knuckle-bow or pas d’âe, covered by a very shallow cup of moderate dimensions; the blade is usually slenderer than the ordinary rapier of the same period.
