English word origin

Etymology of tanto

Borrowed from Japanese 短刀 (tantō), from Middle Chinese 短刀 (twan^X taw, “dagger”).

2 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A traditional Japanese small sword or knife; often used as a secondary weapon to a katana.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Japanese 短刀 (tantō), from Middle Chinese 短刀 (twan^X taw, “dagger”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention短刀ja

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ja",
        "3": "短刀",
        "tr": "tantō"
      },
      "expansion": "Japanese 短刀 (tantō)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ltc",
        "3": "短刀",
        "t": "dagger"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Chinese 短刀 (twan^X taw, “dagger”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "短刀",
      "短刀#Japanese"
    ],
    [
      "短刀",
      "短刀#Middle_Chinese"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A traditional Japanese small sword or knife; often used as a secondary weapon to a katana."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "5f6f52b4c103c230c00659f3c8872e90389fe8edecb109aaa5849042b2128d94",
      "rawRecordSha256": "63b8c0166b5b0bd21b7583eabfba2a45d37844ccff5611fc9c316b5e0a86d26d",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 40245
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adv

So much; too much.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Italian tanto.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "it:tanto",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Italian\", \"term\" : \"tanto\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"it\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"tanto\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"tanto\">\nBorrowed from Italian tanto."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":bor",
        "3": "it:tanto",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Italian tanto."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "tanto",
      "tanto#Italian"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adv",
      "glosses": [
        "So much; too much."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "recordId": "42d4b1987231536fc12e1f95eb318ea0a7c28fcfcee338df0814e0474fadb4df",
      "rawRecordSha256": "085bdd74a91d03e1536ed93b7de78e98be055432ae528b4594e64b011979d97e",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 40246
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for tanto →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-dGFudG8