noun
truncheon
TRUHNT-shuhn
noun
1
A short heavy stick used as a weapon, especially the baton carried by police.
"The officer carried a truncheon on his belt during patrol."
"Riot police were equipped with shields and truncheons."
2
A broken-off piece of something, such as the shaft of a spear or lance.
"The knight fought on with only the truncheon of his lance."
How to Use Truncheon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short club-like stick, most familiar today as a police baton.
UK vs US
This is mainly British English; American English usually says "nightstick" or "billy club" instead.
Common pairings
wield a truncheon
police truncheon
Word Forms
truncheoned past tense, truncheons plural, truncheons singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “truncheon”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The officer carried a _____ on his belt during patrol.
Etymology
From Old French tronchon, "a thick stick," ultimately from Latin truncus, meaning a tree trunk or something cut short.