noun
kris
noun
1
A traditional dagger or short sword from Southeast Asia, often recognizable by its wavy, flame-like blade.
"The museum displayed an ornately carved kris from the Malay Peninsula."
"His grandfather's kris had been passed down through three generations."
verb
1
To stab or kill someone using a kris.
"In the old story, the warrior krissed his rival in single combat."
How to Use Kris
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA distinctive wavy-bladed dagger traditionally used in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Common pairings
a wavy kris blade
ceremonial kris
Word Forms
krised past tense, krissed past tense, krises plural, krisses plural, kriss singular, krisses singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “kris”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The museum displayed an ornately carved _____ from the Malay Peninsula.
Etymology
Borrowed from Malay keris, and used in English since around the late 1500s.