The term broadsword was originally used to describe the straight double-edged basket-hilted swords of Europe during the 17th through 19th centuries. Examples of these are the Scots claymore (a troublesome term in itself) and the Italian schiavona. 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 weight of about one kilogram. Late 19th century museum curators began to use the term to refer to the medieval arming sword to distiguish them from the comparatively slimmer-bladed rapier, smallsword and épée and this is the colloquially understood meaning of the term, though it is somewhat imprecise.

The Chinese Dao is sometimes translated as broadsword, though sabre is more usual and is considered to be a more useful term for this single edged, curved sword.