These weapons have blades of various sizes from 12 to 38 inches (30 to 97 cm), and can be classed as varying between long knives and full-sized swords.

Whatever their size, flyssas are characterized by narrow, straight-backed, single-edged blades, which come to an acute point.

The blades of sword-sized flyssas often widen gradually around the point of percussion, which enhances their cutting ability.

The distal part of the hilt is almost always of wood covered with brass, usually decorated with repoussé and chasing, and has a characteristic downturned projection forming the snout of a stylised animal head at the 'pommel' end (though the pommel and grip are made in a single piece - the identity of the animal is unknown, with dog, camel and chimaera all being suggested).

In pre-colonial times, the sword was called "Ajenouii" which means 'knife' in The Berber Kabyle Dialect also a word derived from the name of the city of Genoa.