Lance vs. Spear — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 15, 2024
A lance is a long weapon used primarily by cavalry for charging, emphasizing reach and momentum, whereas a spear is versatile, used for throwing or thrusting in infantry combat.
Difference Between Lance and Spear
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A lance is traditionally associated with mounted combat, designed for single, powerful thrusts during a charge. Its design maximizes the impact force delivered from horseback. On the other hand, a spear is a more versatile weapon that can be used both for throwing and close-quarters combat. Its adaptability makes it a staple for infantry across various cultures and time periods.
The lance typically features a longer shaft and is heavier, making it less suitable for rapid, multiple strikes. This design focuses on breaking enemy lines with one decisive blow. Whereas, the spear is lighter and shorter, offering the wielder the ability to engage in more fluid combat, throwing it when necessary or engaging in quick thrusts and parries.
In terms of historical use, lances were prominent in medieval Europe, especially among knights in tournaments and warfare, symbolizing chivalry and martial prowess. Spears, however, have been universally utilized since prehistoric times, serving as one of the earliest tools for hunting and warfare due to their simplicity and effectiveness.
The lance is often seen as a weapon of honor and nobility, frequently depicted in tales of knights and heroic charges. Spears, while also featured in mythology and history, are seen as more common soldiers' weapons, embodying versatility and practicality.
The method of use also distinguishes these weapons; the lance is predominantly used in a couching position to leverage the full momentum of a mounted charge. In contrast, the spear can be wielded in various stances, accommodating thrusting, throwing, and even defensive maneuvers, reflecting its role as a multi-purpose weapon.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Charging weapon for cavalry
Versatile: used for throwing, thrusting, and melee combat
Length and Weight
Longer and heavier, optimized for reach and impact from horseback
Generally shorter and lighter, for flexibility and speed
Historical Usage
Favored in medieval Europe for jousting and cavalry charges
Widely used since prehistoric times by infantry units
Cultural Symbolism
Associated with chivalry, nobility, and mounted knights
Represents practicality, versatility, and the common soldier
Combat Style
Designed for powerful, singular thrusts
Supports multiple combat techniques, including throwing
Compare with Definitions
Lance
Designed for single powerful thrusts from horseback.
The lance's design focused on maximizing the impact of a cavalry charge.
Spear
A versatile weapon used for throwing, thrusting, and in infantry combat.
The warrior threw his spear with deadly accuracy.
Lance
Can feature protective elements like a vamplate.
His lance had a vamplate to protect his hand during the charge.
Spear
Found in numerous cultures as a fundamental weapon.
Spears have been used by hunters and warriors worldwide.
Lance
A long weapon used primarily by cavalry for charging at enemies.
The knight wielded his lance expertly in the tournament.
Spear
Symbolizes versatility and the skill of the user.
The spear symbolized the warrior's versatility and mastery in combat.
Lance
Often associated with medieval warfare and jousting.
Lances were a common sight in medieval tournaments.
Spear
Balances weight and strength for effective use.
The spear was balanced perfectly for both throwing and close-quarters combat.
Lance
Symbolizes chivalric combat and nobility.
The lance became a symbol of the knight's prowess and nobility.
Spear
Lighter and adaptable for various combat situations.
The spear's lightweight design made it ideal for both hunting and battle.
Lance
A lance is a pole weapon designed to be used by a mounted warrior or cavalry soldier (lancer). During the periods of classical and medieval warfare, it evolved into being the leading weapon in cavalry charges, and was unsuited for throwing or for repeated thrusting, unlike similar weapons of the javelin and pike family typically used by infantry.
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as bone, flint, obsidian, iron, steel, or bronze (or other type of stone or metal).
Lance
A long weapon with a wooden shaft and a pointed steel head, formerly used by a horseman in charging
The warriors bore lances tipped with iron or steel
Spear
A weapon with a pointed tip, typically of steel, and a long shaft, used for thrusting or throwing.
Lance
A metal pipe supplying a jet of oxygen to a furnace or to make a very hot flame for cutting.
Spear
A plant shoot, especially a pointed stem of asparagus or broccoli
Smoked salmon wrapped around asparagus spears
Lance
A rigid tube at the end of a hose for pumping or spraying liquid.
Spear
Pierce or strike with a spear or other pointed object
She speared her last chip with her fork
Lance
Prick or cut open (an abscess or boil) with a lancet or other sharp instrument
Abscesses should not be lanced until there is a soft spot in the centre
The prime minister made it one of his priorities to lance the boil of corruption
Spear
A weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharply pointed end.
Lance
A thrusting weapon with a long wooden shaft and a sharp metal head.
Spear
A shaft with a sharp point and barbs for spearing fish.
Lance
A similar implement for spearing fish.
Spear
A soldier armed with a spear.
Lance
A cavalry lancer.
Spear
A slender stalk, as of asparagus.
Lance
(Medicine) See lancet.
Spear
To pierce with a spear or other sharp object.
Lance
To pierce with a lance.
Spear
To catch with a thrust of the arm
Spear a grounder.
Lance
(Medicine) To make a surgical incision in; cut into
Lance a boil.
Spear
(Football) To block (an opponent) by ramming with the helmet, in violation of the rules.
Lance
A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen.
Spear
(Sports) To jab (an opponent) with the blade of a hockey stick, in violation of the rules.
Lance
A wooden spear, sometimes hollow, used in jousting or tilting, designed to shatter on impact with the opposing knight’s armour.
Spear
To stab at something with a spear or other sharp object.
Lance
(fishing) A spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.
Spear
To sprout like a spear.
Lance
(military) A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.
Spear
A long stick with a sharp tip used as a weapon for throwing or thrusting, or anything used to make a thrusting motion.
Lance
(military) An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.
Spear
A soldier armed with such a weapon; a spearman.
Lance
(metallurgy) A small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell.
Spear
A lance with barbed prongs, used by fishermen to retrieve fish.
Lance
(pyrotechnics) One of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure.
Spear
(ice hockey) An illegal maneuver using the end of a hockey stick to strike into another hockey player.
Lance
(medicine) A lancet.
Spear
(wrestling) In professional wrestling, a running tackle in which the wrestler's shoulder is driven into the opponent's midsection.
Lance
To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.
Seized the due victim, and with fury lanced Her back. Dryden.
Spear
A shoot, as of grass; a spire.
Lance
To open with a lancet; to pierce.
To lance a vein or an abscess
Spear
The feather of a horse.
Lance
To throw in the manner of a lance; to lanch.
Spear
The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is attached; a pump rod.
Lance
A weapon of war, consisting of a long shaft or handle and a steel blade or head; a spear carried by horsemen, and often decorated with a small flag; also, a spear or harpoon used by whalers and fishermen.
A braver soldier never couched lance.
Spear
A long, thin strip from a vegetable.
Asparagus and broccoli spears
Lance
A soldier armed with a lance; a lancer.
Spear
(botany) The sprout of a plant, stalk
Lance
A small iron rod which suspends the core of the mold in casting a shell.
Spear
(obsolete) A church spire.
Lance
An instrument which conveys the charge of a piece of ordnance and forces it home.
Spear
(transitive) To pierce with a spear.
Lance
One of the small paper cases filled with combustible composition, which mark the outlines of a figure.
Spear
To penetrate or strike with, or as if with, any long narrow object; to make a thrusting motion that catches an object on the tip of a long device.
Lance
A lancet.
Spear
(gridiron football) To tackle an opponent by ramming into them with one's helmet.
Lance
To pierce with a lance, or with any similar weapon.
Seized the due victim, and with fury lancedHer back.
Spear
(intransitive) To shoot into a long stem, as some plants do.
Lance
To open with a lancet; to pierce; as, to lance a vein or an abscess.
Spear
To ignore as a social snub.
Lance
To throw in the manner of a lance. See Lanch.
Spear
Male.
A spear counterpart
Lance
A long pointed rod used as a weapon
Spear
Pertaining to male family members.
The spear side of the family
Lance
An implement with a shaft and barbed point used for catching fish
Spear
A long, pointed weapon, used in war and hunting, by thrusting or throwing; a weapon with a long shaft and a sharp head or blade; a lance.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.
Lance
A surgical knife with a pointed double-edged blade; used for punctures and small incisions
Spear
Fig.: A spearman.
Lance
Move quickly, as if by cutting one's way;
Planes lanced towards the shore
Spear
A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing fish and other animals.
Lance
Pierce with a lance, as in a knights' fight
Spear
A shoot, as of grass; a spire.
Lance
Open by piercing with a lancet;
Lance a boil
Spear
The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is attached; a pump rod.
Spear
To pierce with a spear; to kill with a spear; as, to spear a fish.
Spear
To shoot into a long stem, as some plants. See Spire.
Spear
A long pointed rod used as a weapon
Spear
An implement with a shaft and barbed point used for catching fish
Spear
Pierce with a spear;
Spear fish
Spear
Thrust up like a spear;
The branch speared up into the air
Common Curiosities
Can spears be thrown?
Yes, spears can be thrown and are also used for thrusting and in infantry combat.
How are lances and spears used differently in combat?
Lances are optimized for single, powerful charges, while spears can be used for a broader range of actions including thrusting and throwing.
What is the primary use of a lance?
Lances are used primarily for mounted combat, especially in charging attacks.
What makes a lance effective in cavalry charges?
Its length, weight, and design optimize it for powerful thrusts and impact at high speeds.
What is the significance of the spear in historical contexts?
Spears have been a staple of warfare and hunting across cultures, symbolizing versatility and the skill of the user.
How does the design of spears differ from that of lances?
Spears are generally lighter, shorter, and designed for versatility, including throwing and thrusting.
Were lances used in any contexts outside of warfare?
Yes, lances were often used in jousting tournaments as part of formalized combat and the chivalric code.
Why are spears considered versatile weapons?
Their design allows for a wide range of uses, including throwing, thrusting, and both individual and group combat.
What cultural significance does the lance hold?
The lance is often associated with medieval European knights, representing nobility and chivalric warfare.
Do lances have any distinctive features?
Some lances include a vamplate to prevent the user's hand from sliding forward during impact.
What is the historical importance of spears?
Spears have been essential for survival and combat across many cultures, highlighting their adaptability and practicality.
Can lances be thrown like spears?
Lances are not typically designed to be thrown; they are optimized for thrusting attacks from horseback.
How does the weight of a spear affect its use?
The lighter weight of spears makes them adaptable for throwing and quick maneuvers in various combat situations.
Are lances still used today?
While not used in modern warfare, lances can still be seen in ceremonial contexts and historical reenactments.
What role did spears play in ancient warfare?
Spears were fundamental weapons in ancient warfare, used by foot soldiers for their versatility and effectiveness in close and ranged combat.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
