truncheon

[ truhn-chuh n ]
/ ˈtrʌn tʃən /

noun

the club carried by a police officer; billy.
a staff representing an office or authority; baton.
the shattered shaft of a spear.
Obsolete. cudgel; bludgeon.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to beat with a club.

Origin of truncheon

1300–50; Middle English tronchon fragment < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *trunciōn-, stem of *trunciō literally, a lopping. See trunk, -ion

Example sentences from the Web for truncheon

British Dictionary definitions for truncheon

truncheon
/ (ˈtrʌntʃən) /

noun

mainly British a short thick club or cudgel carried by a policeman
a baton of office a marshal's truncheon
archaic a short club or cudgel
the shaft of a spear

verb

(tr) to beat with a truncheon

Word Origin for truncheon

C16: from Old French tronchon stump, from Latin truncus trunk; see truncate