A melee (pronounced “may-lay”) is a noun describing combat in close quarters, especially a confused fight between multiple people.
In many computer games, a “melee weapon” is a sword, mace, axe, or another hand-wielded weapon. The target of a melee weapon must be positioned within arm’s length of the attacker to be hit by it.
An alternative to a melee weapon is a “ranged” weapon, which fires a projectile from a distance. Examples of ranged weapons are bows, crossbows, guns, and cannons.
Game terms, Scythe