What does kris mean?
A kris is a distinctive dagger associated especially with the Malay peoples of Southeast Asia, although the term also has a long history in the wider Indonesian archipelago. Its blade may be straight, slightly undulating, or markedly wavy, and it is often more elaborate than an ordinary utility dagger. Many kris were made as ceremonial, diplomatic, or status objects, with decorated hilts and scabbards that could reveal the maker, owner, or social position of the bearer. The term also appears in English discussions of arms, collecting, and Southeast Asian art. Although kris can refer broadly to a type of dagger, the word carries cultural and historical associations that make it more specific than the general word blade and more accurate than sword. In the English spelling kris, the final “s” is pronounced; the alternative spelling keris is also widely recognized.
nounA kris is a dagger with a straight or undulating blade, traditionally associated with the Malay world and often made as a ceremonial or status object.
- A straight- or wavy-bladed dagger of the Malay world, especially one made as a ceremonial or status object.
"The collector carefully examined the finely carved handle of the ceremonial kris."
"The kris was displayed beside the other regalia in the ceremonial hall."
"He named his collection of antique blades after the kris he had seen in Sulawesi."
Both forms occur; the unchanged plural is especially common when referring to kris as a category of weapon.
"The collection includes two ornate krises acquired from a ceremonial armory."
A kris is not just a dagger: in many Malay and Indonesian traditions, its blade and carved handle express rank, ancestry, and spiritual belief.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of kris
The English word entered through Malay, where the weapon was called kreis or keris. The Malay word is generally traced to Sanskrit कृश (kṛśa), meaning “thin” or “lean,” probably through an earlier reference to the narrow form of the blade. English also briefly used the spelling krys, while keris and kreis reflect forms of the borrowing and the name of the weapon in its regional traditions.
How kris is actually used
In English, the spelling kris is standard, although keris is also encountered. The term is usually reserved for a culturally specific dagger rather than used for any ordinary knife or sword.
Easily confused with kris
A kris is a dagger or ceremonial blade, whereas a crease is a fold or a line made by folding something.