Dirk A dirk is a long thrusting dagger . Historically , it was a personal weapon of officers engaged in naval hand - to - hand combat during the Age of Sail , as well as the personal sidearm of the officers of Scottish Highland regiments , and Japanese naval officers . Etymology . The term is associated with Scotland in the Early Modern Era , being attested from about 1600 . The term was spelled " dork " or " dirk " during the 17th century , presumably from the Dutch , Swedish and Danish " dolch " , via German " dolch , tolch " from a West Slavic " Tillich " . The exact etymology is unclear ; the sound change from " - lk " to " - rk " is rather common in Scots and Northern English loanwords from Danish ( as in " quirk , smirk " from Danish " kilche , smilke " ) . The modern spelling " dirk " is probably due to Samuel Johnson ' s 1755 " Dictionary " . The term is also used for " dagger " generically , especially in the context of prehistoric daggers such as the Oxborough dirk . Naval dirk . A thrusting weapon , the naval dirk was originally used as a boarding weapon and functional fighting dagger . It was worn by midshipmen and officers during the days of sail , gradually evolving into a ceremonial weapon and badge of office . In the Royal Navy , the naval dirk is still presented to junior officers ; their basic design has changed little in the last 500 years . The naval dirk ( Polish " kordzik " , Russian кортик ) became part of the uniform of naval officers and civilian officials in the Navy Department of the Russian Empire , and in the Soviet navy an element of the dress uniform of officers . Later , it became an element of other uniforms as well , e . g . of officers in the Russian and Polish army and air force , and of the police forces in some countries . . Highland dirk . The Scottish dirk ( also " Highland dirk " , Scottish Gaelic : " Biodag " ) is the traditional and ceremonial sidearm of the officers of Scottish Highland regiments . The development of the Scottish dirk as a weapon is unrelated to that of the naval dirk ; it is a modern continuation of the 16th - century ballock or rondel dagger . The traditional Scottish dirk is a development of the second half of the 17th century , when it became a popular item of military equipment in the Jacobite Risings . The 78th Fraser Highlanders , raised in 1757 , wore full highland dress uniform ; their equipment was described by Major - General James Stewart in 1780 as including a " musket and broadsword , to which many soldiers added the dirk at their own expense . " The modern development of the Scottish dirk into a ceremonial weapon occurred during in the 19th century . The shape of the grip developed from the historical more cylindrical form to a shape intended to represent the thistle . Fancier fittings , often of silver , became popular shortly after 1800 . The hilts of modern Scottish dirks are often carved from dark colored wood such as bog oak or ebony . Hilts and scabbards are often lavishly decorated with silver mounts and have pommels set with cairngorm stones . The blades measure 12 " in length and are single edged with decorative file work known as " jimping " on the unsharpened back edge of the blade . When worn , the dirk normally hangs by a leather strap known as a " frog " from a dirk belt , which is a wide leather belt having a large , usually ornate buckle , that is worn around the waist with a kilt . Many Scottish dirks carry a smaller knife and fork which fit into compartments on the front of the sheath , and a smaller knife known as a sgian dubh is also worn tucked into the top of the hose when wearing a kilt .