A machete is a large cleaving tool used for cutting. It is typically used for cutting dense plant growth by one person. It is most commonly used to clear jungle undergrowth or sugarcane, though there are many specialized designs and tasks assigned to the machete.

A machete is a very large, long and broad cutting knife, measuring over 20 inches in length. In many parts of the world, the machete is an all-purpose, daily-usage tool. It's also used for protection in emergencies and has been used as a weapon

History

Though not known as a machete, there have been many similar tools used throughout history. The medieval falchion was similar, lacking only a hand guard. A kopis was an ancient Greek form of machete, though it was designed primarily to be a weapon instead of a tool. The Germanic seax was also similar.

Function

Loosely speaking, the machete can be used for one of two purposes: as a tool or as a weapon.In jungle communities the machete is very common, as it can aid passage through dense overgrown terrain. In some places, notably Central America, a machete is sometimes used to butcher meat or cut other large foodstuffs. It is also used to make simple objects from wood, such as handles for other tools.

The machete is a popular weapon used by many rebel and outlaw groups, and even national armed forces, around the world, most notably in Africa and Central America. It is known as a cutlass in the West Indies, and indeed is a short form of sword, though intended primarily as an agricultural tool. The machete has been adopted as an icon by various militia groups, including the Interahamwe during the Rwandan genocide, Communist revolutionaries in Cuba, Dominican independence fighters and the Dominican Republic Armed Forces, and Gran Colombian patriots against the Spanish Army.