Bowie knife

See also: bowie knife

English
A Bowie knife

Alternative forms

Etymology

After James "Jim" Bowie (1796-1836), American pioneer and soldier who famously used such a knife as a weapon in a duel.

Pronunciation

IPA(key): /ˈbuːi naɪf/, /ˈboʊ.i naɪf/ (see note)

Noun

Bowie knife (plural Bowie knives)

  1. A large sheath knife, usually of clip point style and usually with large guards at the ricasso.

Usage notes

It is descriptively a fact that the long o pronunciation (/ˈboʊ.i naɪf/) is widely established; nonetheless, because the eponym himself, James Bowie, pronounced his own surname with the long oo sound, many English speakers consider it preferable to call the knife a /ˈbuːi naɪf/. For speakers who simply want to know, "Which pronunciation should I use to minimize the chance of my listeners complaining about it?" it is advisable to use the long oo pronunciation.

See also

Further reading
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