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• cannon
  cannon

  noun

  a mounted gun for firing heavy projectiles; a gun, howitzer, or mortar.
• Cannon
  Cannon

  noun

  Annie Jump 1863–1941, U.S. astronomer.

cannon

¹ American  

[kan-uhn] / ˈkæn ən /

noun

• cannons,
  plural
• cannon
  plural

1. a mounted gun for firing heavy projectiles; a gun, howitzer, or mortar.

2. British Machinery. quill.

3. Armor. a cylindrical or semicylindrical piece of plate armor for the upper arm or forearm; a vambrace or rerebrace.

4. Also called canon bit, cannon bit. a round bit for a horse.

5. the part of a bit that is in the horse's mouth.

6. (on a bell) the metal loop by which a bell is hung.

7. Zoology.

   1. cannon bone.

   2. the part of the leg in which the cannon bone is situated.

8. British. a carom in billiards.

9. Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.

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verb (used without object)

• cannons,
  present (3rd person singular)
• cannoned,
  past participle,  past
• cannoning
  present participle

1. to discharge cannon.

2. British. to make a carom in billiards.

Cannon ² American  

[kan-uhn] / ˈkæn ən /

noun

1. Annie Jump 1863–1941, U.S. astronomer.

2. Joseph Gurney Uncle Joe, 1836–1926, U.S. politician and legislator.

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cannon British  

/ ˈkænən /

noun

1. an automatic aircraft gun of large calibre

2. history a heavy artillery piece consisting of a metal tube mounted on a carriage

3. a heavy tube or drum, esp one that can rotate freely on the shaft by which it is supported

4. the metal loop at the top of a bell, from which it is suspended

5. See cannon bone

6. billiards

   1. a shot in which the cue ball is caused to contact one object ball after another

   2. Usual US and Canadian word: carom. the points scored by this

7. a rebound or bouncing back, as of a ball off a wall

8. either of the two parts of a vambrace

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verb

1. to collide (with)

2. short for cannonade

3. (intr) billiards to make a cannon

Cannon Scientific  

/ kăn′ən /

1. American astronomer noted for her work on classifying stellar spectra. Cannon classified the spectra of 225,300 stars brighter than magnitude 8.5, as well as 130,000 fainter stars.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cannon
  plural
• cannons
  plural

Participles

• cannoning
  present
• cannoned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• cannon
  simple
• cannons
  simple
• have cannoned
  perfect
• has cannoned
  perfect
• am cannoning
  progressive
• are cannoning
  progressive
• is cannoning
  progressive
• have been cannoning
  perfect progressive
• has been cannoning
  perfect progressive

Past

• cannoned
  simple
• had cannoned
  perfect
• was cannoning
  progressive
• were cannoning
  progressive
• had been cannoning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will cannon
  simple
• will have cannoned
  perfect
• will be cannoning
  progressive
• will have been cannoning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of cannon

First recorded in 1375–1425 (earlier in Anglo-Latin, Anglo-French ); late Middle English canon, from Middle French, from Italian cannone, equivalent to cann(a) “tube” (from Latin ) + -one augmentative suffix; see cane

Explanation

A cannon is a large gun that fires heavy metal shells or other projectiles. Originally it was attached to wheels and pulled by men. More recently, cannon refers to the largest gun on a tank or the automatic guns on a plane. All cannons, however old they are, have basically the same shape — a long, thick tube. Not surprising, then, that the term comes from the Latin word canna, meaning "tube" or "reed." Do not confuse with the word canon, with one n, which is a term of classification, as in its most common usage, "the literary canon."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cannon Cannon cannons cannoned cannoning

"So we're using the chemical potential as an atomic cannon," explains Zhang.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

Chinese vessels have also used water cannon and other tactics to ward off Philippine boats from disputed features.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

During that time, he made a slew of enemies — from mob figures who accused him of fabricating evidence to fellow law enforcement officials who described him as a glory-seeking loose cannon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

An animated Gabriel the Toad character and an illustration of Nogbad firing a cannon at the Ice Dragon both fetched £4,200.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

With his thick armor, his giant claws, and his powerful sound cannon, Crusher truly seemed unstoppable.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

But there’s one race that’s standing out, much as the likeness of an old man’s face once did on Cannon Mountain.

From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026

Allison Cannon, chief nursing officer for NHS Sussex and Surrey, says the new hub will make it easier for people to access support closer to home and at a convenient time.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

"Milk production is down by 20%," Prof Cannon says.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

District Judge Aileen Cannon agreed, reiterating that “the allegedly infringed material — basic ideas, themes, metaphors, isolated words, and short phrases — is not protected expression and cannot be infringed.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

As we passed along the Road, we heard the Battle commence in Earnest, the Field-Pieces answering Parliament’s Cannon.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

The property has been reported to feature a Portuguese Colonial-style villa with a large party room, along with watchtowers and 12 cannons that give the retreat a decidedly fortresslike appearance.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

I Need,” which turned into clap-along bedlam before confetti cannons showered the crowd.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

The Berlin police used water cannons to help residents of the capital cool off for a second day running Sunday -- this time at the Olympia venue where singer Bruno Mars was performing.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

In Berlin, police deployed two water cannons to spray mist onto people.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

Just after dawn, the sound of American alarm cannons boomed through the fort.

From I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis

Dimarco almost scored himself on 18 minutes but his free-kick cannoned back off the crossbar.

From Barron's ● Feb. 8, 2026

Ibrahima Konate made a complete hash of a pass inside his own half, allowing Ricardo Pepi to race clear for a shot that cannoned back off the post to Driouech, who gleefully slotted home.

From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025

He was hurt when he was caught on the ball, seconds before Jamie Donley's stunning long-range strike, which cannoned off the bar and went in via Stefan Ortega, put the home side ahead.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2025

They were close to breaking the deadlock when Cedric Kipre's unwitting effort off his outstretched left leg from a corner cannoned back off the left upright.

From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2023

And so he stumbled and nearly fell as she gasped and cannoned into Allun, standing still and almost invisible in the dimness.

From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda

However, Hanna Bennison soon reduced City's lead with a wonderful effort from distance, the ball cannoning off of the crossbar and into the net.

From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2024

Croatia should have scored more, with Perisic's shot from a tight angle cannoning back off the crossbar in what proved a vital moment.

From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2023

He cracked forehands from a sturdy crouch, his swing full and flowing, the ball cannoning down the sidewall to expire in the back corner, repetitious as a gif.

From The New Yorker ● Jan. 18, 2016

Cabaye, waiting on the edge of the area, thumped the ball back, his shot cannoning off the crossbar.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 30, 2014

The ladder fell sideways, cannoning into another one that had been set up beside it.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• howitzer
• mortar
• ordnance