The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bowie knife \Bow"ie knife`\
   A knife with a strong blade from ten to fifteen inches long,
   and double-edged near the point; -- used as a hunting knife,
   and formerly as a weapon in the southwestern part of the
   United States. It was named from its inventor, Colonel James
   Bowie. Also, by extension, any large sheath knife.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Bowie knife
    n 1: a stout hunting knife with a single edge