gunnery

American  

[guhn-uh-ree] / ˈgʌn ə ri /

noun

1. the art and science of constructing and operating guns, gun, especially large guns. gun.

2. the act of firing guns. gun.

3. guns gun collectively.

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gunnery British  

/ ˈɡʌnərɪ /

noun

1. the art and science of the efficient design and use of ordnance, esp artillery

2. guns collectively

3. the use and firing of guns

4. (modifier) of, relating to, or concerned with heavy guns, as in warfare

   a gunnery officer

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Etymology

Origin of gunnery

First recorded in 1490–1500; gun ¹ + -ery

Example Sentences

As a victim of increasingly effective gunnery, Arundel also epitomized another development that would expedite the end of England’s sporadic efforts to subdue the rival realm.

From The Wall Street Journal

But a team needed a quarterback or two, men tough and clever, like Burns, who’d been a gunnery officer during the war.

From Los Angeles Times

Unbelievably, the Mary Rose’s gunnery crew had failed to obey an order to close the gunports after the ship had begun to list.

From Literature

In 1943 he joined the Navy, where as a seaman he carried out general ship and gunnery duties on the Flower class corvette HMS Potentilla.

From BBC

Mr Verge was a gunnery officer based in Portsmouth in 1953 and helped train the sailors who took part in the ceremony.

From BBC

Related Words

• battery
• cannon
• ordnance