Dictionary.com

matchlock

[ mach-lok ]
/ ˈmætʃˌlɒk /

noun

an old form of gunlock in which the priming was ignited by a slow match.
a hand gun, usually a musket, with such a lock.

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Origin of matchlock

First recorded in 1630–40; match1 + lock1

Words nearby matchlock

match-fit, match-funding, matching, matchless, matchlist, matchlock, matchmaker, matchmark, match plate, match play, match point
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for matchlock

British Dictionary definitions for matchlock

matchlock
/ (ˈmætʃˌlɒk) /

noun

an obsolete type of gunlock igniting the powder by means of a slow match
a gun having such a lock
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