ballista
[ buh-lis-tuh ]
/ bəˈlɪs tə /
Save This Word!
noun, plural bal·lis·tae [buh-lis-tee]. /bəˈlɪs ti/.
an ancient military engine for throwing stones or other missiles.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
Origin of ballista
1590–1600; <Latin, probably <Greek *ballistā́s, dialectal variant of *ballistḗs, equivalent to báll(ein) to throw + -istēs-ist
Words nearby ballista
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for ballista
What Is “GOP” Short For?
“Vaccinate” vs. “Inoculate” vs. “Immunize”: What Are The Differences?
“Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time
Where Does The Name “Saturday” Come From?
What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”?
“Effectiveness” vs. “Efficacy” vs. “Efficiency”: When To Use Each Word For The Best Results
British Dictionary definitions for ballista
ballista
/ (bəˈlɪstə) /
noun plural -tae (-tiː)
an ancient catapult for hurling stones, etc
an ancient form of large crossbow used to propel a spear
Word Origin for ballista
C16: from Latin, ultimately from Greek ballein to throw
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