(Noun). A short, thick stick carried as a weapon carried by a British Policeman (or Bobby (UK), Copper (UK) or Plod (UK)). The British equivalent of Nightstick (US) but with a more interesting history…
Used since the 14th century (but not by policemen) then meaning ‘the shaft of a spear’ or ‘cudgel’. Derived from the Old French tronchon (11c., Modern French tronçon) ‘a piece cut off, thick stick, stump’ from Vulgar Latin truncionem from Latin truncus meaning ‘trunk of a tree’. So basically, a truncheon was something you used to bash your enemy over the head if your spear snapped and left you with half a handle.
Originally, the truncheon served as the policeman’s ‘warrant card’, the Royal Crest on the stick indicating his authority. In the Victorian era, they were originally known as Billy Clubs (a term first used as slang for a burglar’s crowbar). Billy Club (US) is still used in the USA today but is not used at all in the UK.
Truncheons were abandoned in the UK in favour of collapsible batons in the 1990s.
Similar meaning: Baton, Cudgel, Billy Club (US), Nightstick (US).
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