The word saif is Arabic and means "sword". As such it does not in and of itself denote anything more specific than "saber" or "back-sword" in its parent land. However, westerners have a tendency to categorize the various types of blades encountered abroad (and across history) by the local name for "sword". As such the post 16th century Arabian swords are normally referred to as "saif" among sword collecters.

These can be near completely indistinguishable from the shamshir (Persian word for "sword") of the adjoining lands. Generally these blades are single-handed swords, sporting a single heavily curved edge ending in a narrow tip. Many saif sport blades from Persia (or at least of Persian design), but a few bear a resemblance to Turkish Kilij. Some blades from the 18th century have only a very shallow curve, and look very like the 13th century Turko-Mongol saber which birthed the entire saber design. Like the other swords of the region, saifs can have a variety of hilts and fittings; some have an end "cap" (really just the bend in the handle creating the "pistol grip") which are more acutely angled back than those of Persia and Eurasia. Some even sport the squared off wooden handle style of the north African nimcha. The crossgaurd is usually two small straight quillions in the style of a shamshir, though some later examples may have a thin kuckle gaurd running down to the pommel.