Dictionary Definition

broadsword n : a sword with a broad blade and (usually) two cutting edges; used to cut rather than stab

User Contributed Dictionary

A type of sword, usually a longsword, that has a broad cutting blade that does blunt damage as well as cutting damage. They were the pinnacle of medieval European sword technology.

The term broadsword is used to refer to different types of swords, across many cultures and time periods.

During the 17th through 19th centuries, the term was used in Europe as a name for a specific design of sword, namely a straight-bladed, double-edged, basket-hilted sword like the Italian schiavona or the Scottish claymore (which has been used to describe both basket-hilted blades and the more popular greatsword). Surviving examples of such swords are around 105 cm long (90 cm of which is blade) with a base blade width of 3.5 cm and a mass of about one kilogram. These swords were used for their slashing and crushing ability as well as their easiness to make/fashion.
In modern usage, "broadsword" inappropriately refers to a category of swords, specifically those whose blade geometry is designed for cutting and slashing attacks, as opposed to the fencing weapons and their emphasis on thrusts and stabs. This began after the advent of the slimmer-bladed rapier, smallsword and épée during the Renaissance, and was picked up by museum curators during the 19th century as a catch-all for all slashing swords, including the Medieval arming sword, longsword and greatsword.
The Chinese Dao is sometimes translated as "broadsword", due to its wide blade and design similarities to the European sabre and Middle-Eastern scimitar, both of which can be considered "broadswords" (second sense, above) due to the slashing nature of their attacks.