bolo
UK[ˈbəʊləʊ]US[ˈboʊloʊ]
n
A long, heavy, single-edged knife used as a tool and weapon, particularly in the Philippines.
n
A type of necktie with a wide, often hand-knotted, decorative clasp.
Etymology
The word 'bolo' entered English in the late 19th century as a direct borrowing from Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, where it names the traditional knife. The term's journey is one of colonial and military contact, as American and Spanish forces encountered the weapon. Its application to a style of necktie is a 20th-century American development, where the wide, clasped tie was humorously or descriptively named for its perceived resemblance to the knife's shape or its association with formal wear in certain contexts. Thus, 'bolo' represents a clear case of semantic extension from a concrete cultural object to a sartorial item, all while retaining its original form.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from Tagalog, where 'bolo' directly refers to the specific type of cutting implement. It is not productively formed from smaller, meaningful English morphemes.
Examples
The farmer used a bolo to clear the thick undergrowth.
He wore a bolo tie with a turquoise slide to the western-themed event.
The historical reenactor demonstrated the proper fighting techniques with a Philippine bolo.