crossbow

[ kraws-boh, kros- ]
See synonyms for crossbow on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a medieval weapon consisting of a bow fixed transversely on a stock having a trigger mechanism to release the bowstring, and often incorporating or accompanied by a mechanism for bending the bow.

Origin of crossbow

1
First recorded in 1400–50, crossbow is from the late Middle English word crossbowe.See cross, bow2

Words Nearby crossbow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use crossbow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crossbow

crossbow

/ (ˈkrɒsˌbəʊ) /


noun
  1. a type of medieval bow fixed transversely on a wooden stock grooved to direct a square-headed arrow (quarrel)

Derived forms of crossbow

  • crossbowman, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012