balistraria

American  

[bal-uh-strair-ee-uh] / ˌbæl əˈstrɛər i ə /

noun

balistrariae plural

1. (in a medieval fortification) an opening, usually in the form of a cross, through which a crossbow could be fired.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• balistrariae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of balistraria

First recorded in 1835–45; from Medieval Latin, feminine of Late Latin bal(l)istrārius, Latin ballistārius “pertaining to a ballista” (in Medieval Latin “a crossbow”), equivalent to ballist(a) + -ārius adjective suffix; see origin at ballista, -ary