"sword-shaped," 1746, from Greek xiphos "a sword," of unknown origin (Klein suggests a Semitic source and compares Hebrew sayif, Arabic sayf) + -oid.
Entries linking to xiphoid
-oid
word-forming element meaning "like, like that of, thing like a ______," from Latinized form of Greek -oeidēs (three syllables), from eidos "form," related to idein "to see," eidenai "to know;" literally "to see" (from PIE *weid-es-, from root *weid- "to see"). The -o- is connective or a stem vowel from the previous element. Often implying an incomplete or imperfect resemblance to the thing indicated.
xiphias n.
1660s, genus of swordfish, from Greek xiphias "swordfish," from xiphos "a sword" (see xiphoid). Related: Xiphioid.