Spear vs. Polearm — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 14, 2024
A spear is a simple weapon with a pointed head on a long shaft, used for thrusting or throwing, whereas a polearm is a broader category of weapons mounted on long shafts, designed for melee.
Difference Between Spear and Polearm
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A spear is one of the oldest and simplest weapons used by humans, characterized by its long shaft and sharp pointed head, typically made of metal. It can be used for both thrusting in hand-to-hand combat and throwing at enemies. On the other hand, a polearm refers to a class of weapons that are comprised of various bladed or pointed heads mounted on long shafts. Polearms are designed primarily for melee combat and include a wide range of weapons such as halberds, glaives, and pikes, each with its unique design and purpose.
While the spear is primarily designed for piercing and can be thrown, polearms are more versatile in design, often featuring axe blades, hooks, and spikes that enable slashing, hooking, and thrusting motions against opponents. This versatility makes polearms suitable for a variety of combat situations, including breaking through armor. In contrast, the spear's effectiveness is somewhat limited to piercing motions and its utility as a thrown weapon.
The spear is known for its ease of production and use, making it a common weapon among early civilizations and various cultures around the world. Its simplicity and effectiveness in both close and ranged combat made it a staple weapon for infantry units. Polearms, however, required more skilled craftsmanship to produce due to their complex heads and were often used by trained soldiers or knights, particularly in medieval Europe, where they were a key part of infantry tactics against cavalry and armored foes.
In terms of historical significance, spears have been used across a broad spectrum of cultures and time periods, often symbolizing martial prowess and authority. Polearms, while also historically significant, are more closely associated with medieval and Renaissance Europe, where they were developed as a response to advances in armor and battlefield tactics.
The development and use of polearms reflect a period of military innovation and the need for weapons that could serve multiple functions in battle, such as breaching armor, dismounting cavalry, and providing reach advantage over swordsmen. Meanwhile, the spear has maintained its place as a fundamental weapon due to its simplicity, effectiveness, and the minimal training required for its use.
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Comparison Chart
Design
Long shaft with a pointed head
Long shaft with various heads (blades, spikes)
Primary Use
Thrusting, throwing
Melee combat (slashing, thrusting, hooking)
Versatility
Limited to piercing and throwing
High, with designs for different combat needs
Historical Use
Widespread across cultures
Mainly in medieval and Renaissance Europe
Required Skill
Low, easy to use and produce
Higher, due to complex designs and combat techniques
Types
Few variations
Wide range (e.g., halberd, glaive, pike)
Combat Range
Close and ranged combat
Primarily close combat, with reach advantage
Production
Simple, minimal craftsmanship
Complex, requiring skilled craftsmanship
Compare with Definitions
Spear
A versatile weapon in warfare, used by infantry throughout history.
Medieval foot soldiers often carried spears as their primary weapon.
Polearm
Includes weapons designed for slashing, thrusting, and hooking.
The museum's collection features polearms from the Renaissance period.
Spear
A symbol of martial skill and authority in various cultures.
The chief held a spear as a sign of his leadership.
Polearm
Requires training to master due to its complex techniques.
Soldiers underwent rigorous training to wield polearms effectively.
Spear
A simple pole weapon ideal for both ranged and close combat.
In ancient times, the spear was a common weapon for hunters and warriors.
Polearm
A class of melee weapons on long shafts with various heads for combat.
The knight swung his polearm, cleaving through the enemy lines.
Spear
A tool that evolved from hunting to warfare.
The spear's design has remained relatively unchanged over millennia.
Polearm
Represents a period of military innovation and adaptation.
Polearms symbolize the evolution of weapons to meet changing battlefield tactics.
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).
Polearm
Developed in response to armored opponents and cavalry.
The halberd, a type of polearm, was effective against armored knights.
Spear
A weapon with a pointed tip, typically of steel, and a long shaft, used for thrusting or throwing.
Polearm
A close-quarter combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood.
Spear
A plant shoot, especially a pointed stem of asparagus or broccoli
Smoked salmon wrapped around asparagus spears
Spear
Pierce or strike with a spear or other pointed object
She speared her last chip with her fork
Spear
A weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharply pointed end.
Spear
A shaft with a sharp point and barbs for spearing fish.
Spear
A soldier armed with a spear.
Spear
A slender stalk, as of asparagus.
Spear
To pierce with a spear or other sharp object.
Spear
To catch with a thrust of the arm
Spear a grounder.
Spear
(Football) To block (an opponent) by ramming with the helmet, in violation of the rules.
Spear
(Sports) To jab (an opponent) with the blade of a hockey stick, in violation of the rules.
Spear
To stab at something with a spear or other sharp object.
Spear
To sprout like a spear.
Spear
A long stick with a sharp tip used as a weapon for throwing or thrusting, or anything used to make a thrusting motion.
Spear
A soldier armed with such a weapon; a spearman.
Spear
A lance with barbed prongs, used by fishermen to retrieve fish.
Spear
(ice hockey) An illegal maneuver using the end of a hockey stick to strike into another hockey player.
Spear
(wrestling) In professional wrestling, a running tackle in which the wrestler's shoulder is driven into the opponent's midsection.
Spear
A shoot, as of grass; a spire.
Spear
The feather of a horse.
Spear
The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is attached; a pump rod.
Spear
A long, thin strip from a vegetable.
Asparagus and broccoli spears
Spear
(botany) The sprout of a plant, stalk
Spear
(obsolete) A church spire.
Spear
(transitive) To pierce with a spear.
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.
Spear
(gridiron football) To tackle an opponent by ramming into them with one's helmet.
Spear
(intransitive) To shoot into a long stem, as some plants do.
Spear
To ignore as a social snub.
Spear
Male.
A spear counterpart
Spear
Pertaining to male family members.
The spear side of the family
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.
Spear
Fig.: A spearman.
Spear
A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing fish and other animals.
Spear
A shoot, as of grass; a spire.
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
Why were polearms developed?
Polearms were developed to counter advancements in armor and battlefield tactics, offering versatility and a reach advantage.
Can a spear be considered a type of polearm?
Yes, a spear can be considered a basic form of polearm, focused on thrusting and piercing.
What defines a spear?
A spear is defined by its long shaft and sharp pointed tip, used primarily for thrusting and throwing.
How do spears and polearms differ in use?
Spears are used for piercing and can be thrown, while polearms are versatile melee weapons designed for slashing, thrusting, and hooking.
Were polearms more difficult to use than spears?
Yes, due to their complex designs and the techniques required for effective use, polearms generally required more training.
Did all cultures use polearms?
While many cultures developed some form of polearm, they are most commonly associated with medieval and Renaissance Europe.
What are some examples of polearms?
Examples include the halberd, glaive, and pike, each with unique designs for specific combat roles.
How did the spear and polearm impact warfare?
Both weapons significantly impacted warfare; spears were versatile and easy to use, while polearms introduced new combat techniques against armored foes and cavalry.
What is a polearm?
A polearm is a broad category of melee weapons that feature various types of heads mounted on long shafts, designed for combat.
What role did spears play in hunting?
Spears were crucial in early hunting, allowing humans to tackle larger prey from a safer distance.
What materials were used to make spears and polearms?
Initially, spears were made with wooden shafts and stone or metal points, while polearms also featured metal heads with wooden shafts but included a greater variety of materials for different combat functions.
Are spears and polearms still used today?
While not used in modern warfare, spears and polearms are studied and replicated for historical reenactments and martial arts.
How did the introduction of polearms change infantry tactics?
Polearms allowed infantry to effectively engage with mounted units and break through heavy armor, altering battlefield strategies.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity 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.
