artillery

American  

[ahr-til-uh-ree] / ɑrˈtɪl ə ri /

noun

1. mounted projectile-firing guns or missile launchers, mobile or stationary, light or heavy, as distinguished from small arms.

2. the troops or the branch of an army concerned with the use and service of such weapons.

3. the science that treats of the use of such weapons.

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artillery British  

/ ɑːˈtɪlərɪ /

noun

1. guns, cannon, howitzers, mortars, etc, of calibre greater than 20 mm

2. troops or military units specializing in using such guns

3. the science dealing with the use of guns

4. devices for discharging heavy missiles, such as catapults or slings

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Etymology

Origin of artillery

1350–1400; Middle English artil ( le ) rie, artelry, art ( u ) ry armaments, ballistic engines < Anglo-French, Middle French artillerie, equivalent to Old French artill ( ier ) to equip, arm, alteration, by association with art art ¹, of atill ( i ) er to set in order, put on armor (< Vulgar Latin *apticulāre, derivative of Latin aptāre to put on (armor, ornaments, etc.; adapt ); -i- for expected -ei- perhaps by association with atirier; attire ) + -erie -ery

Example Sentences

"If we speak about unexploded ordnance in general - missiles, artillery shells, aerial bombs - the total number will be many times higher" than several thousand, Fox says.

From BBC

Around this time, the trans-Atlantic slave trade started gradually as Portuguese traders pushed farther south along the west coast of Africa in ships with larger cargo holds and more artillery than earlier vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal

The garden is still filled with the remnants of war: a Soviet fighter jet, helicopters, tanks, pieces of heavy artillery and military vehicles.

From Barron's

But after just eight months, he was himself overthrown by Traoré, then a 34‑year‑old artillery officer who accused him of failing to deliver security improvements.

From BBC

That requires a Ph.D. from Georgetown, a fellowship at Brookings and prose so dense it could stop artillery.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• battery
• cannon
• ordnance