spontoon

/spɑnˈtun/
noun
  1. A type of spear or halberd with a broad blade, used as a weapon in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially by infantry officers or naval boarding parties.
    • The captain ordered his men to fix their spontoons for the boarding action.
    • In historical reenactments, soldiers carry a spontoon as part of their uniform.
    • The museum displayed a spontoon that once belonged to a British naval officer.
What does "spontoon" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean