Sarissophoros vs. Javelin

Sarissophorosnoun

(historical) A light cavalry unit in Ancient Greece that held a long spear for charging and was equipped with several javelins for harassing the enemy.

Javelinnoun

A light spear thrown with the hand and used as a weapon.

Javelinnoun

A metal-tipped spear thrown for distance in an athletic field event.

Javelinverb

(transitive) To pierce with a javelin.

Javelinnoun

A sort of light spear, to be thrown or cast by the hand; anciently, a weapon of war used by horsemen and foot soldiers; now used chiefly in hunting the wild boar and other fierce game.

‘Flies the javelin swifter to its mark,Launched by the vigor of a Roman arm?’;

Javelinnoun

A wooden shaft resembling a spear, thrown by contestants in a contest called the javelin throw; the one throwing the javelin furthest wins the contest. The javelin throw is one of the field events of the modern Olympic Games.

Javelinverb

To pierce with a javelin.

Javelinnoun

an athletic competition in which a javelin is thrown as far as possible

Javelinnoun

a spear thrown as a weapon or in competitive field events

Javelinnoun

a light spear thrown in a competitive sport or as a weapon.

Javelinnoun

the athletic sport of throwing a javelin

‘his nearest rival in the javelin’;

Javelin

A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon, but today predominantly for sport. The javelin is almost always thrown by hand, unlike the sling, bow, and crossbow, which launch projectiles with the aid of a hand-held mechanism.