1889, from French épée, literally "sword" from Old French espe (9c., spede) "spear, lance," from Latin spatha (see epaulet).
Entries linking to epee
epaulet n.
also epaulette, "shoulder ornament on a uniform," 1783, from French épaulette "an epaulet" (16c.), diminutive of épaule "shoulder," from Old French espaule (12c.), from Latin spatula "flat piece of wood, splint," in Medieval Latin "shoulder blade," diminutive of spatha "broad wooden instrument, broad sword," from Greek spathē "a broad flat sword" (see spade (n.1)).