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ballista

[ buh-lis-tuh ]
/ bəˈlɪs tə /
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noun, plural bal·lis·tae [buh-lis-tee]. /bəˈlɪs ti/.
an ancient military engine for throwing stones or other missiles.
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Origin of ballista

1590–1600; <Latin, probably <Greek *ballistā́s, dialectal variant of *ballistḗs, equivalent to báll(ein) to throw + -istēs-ist
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to ballista

slingshot, ammunition, bomb, cannon, firearm, gun, knife, machete, machine gun, missile, nerve gas, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, sword, tear gas, arbalest, heaver, hurler

How to use ballista in a sentence

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
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