ballista

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an ancient torsion-powered missile weapon resembling a giant crossbow and used to launch heavy bolts or stones

   The reconstructed ballista launched a heavy bolt across the field.

Borrowed from Latin ballista, from a Greek formation based on a verb meaning 'to throw or hurl.' The spelling balista is a historical variant; the same Greek word family also lies behind ballistic and ballistics.

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