musket
Americannoun
-
a heavy, large-caliber smoothbore gun for infantry soldiers, introduced in the 16th century: the predecessor of the modern rifle.
-
the male sparrow hawk, Accipiter nisus.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of musket
1580–90; < Middle French mousquet < Italian moschetto crossbow arrow, later musket, originally kind of hawk, equivalent to mosch ( a ) fly (< Latin musca ) + -etto -et
Explanation
A musket is a long, front-loaded, over-the-shoulder gun. Muskets have been used in many wars, such as the American Civil War. There are many types of guns. One that's gone out of style is the musket. This weapon of choice for infantrymen was distinctive in a few ways. It was fired over your shoulder (or sometimes mounted on a stand), and it had a very long barrel. It was also muzzle-loaded, which means it was loaded through the front of the gun, not the back, like most contemporary guns.
Vocabulary lists containing musket
Star-Spangled Vocabulary: Patriotic Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The American Civil War
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The American Revolution - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The couple are seen side by side in period costume, as Anna hands John a cartridge to reload his musket.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
A musket ball is a type of ammunition used in muskets, which are long-barrelled, muzzle-loaded firearms that were commonly used from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2024
I recently discovered that if you walk around New York City while carrying an 18th-century musket, you get a lot of questions.
From Slate ● May 8, 2024
There could be everyday military items like uniform buttons or musket balls.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2023
He carries his musket and has not one, but two bandoleers of gunpowder strung across his chest.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
That logic propagated from muskets to sewing machines and farm equipment, eroding craft economics and laying the groundwork for the modern assembly line.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
A musket ball is a type of ammunition used in muskets, which are long-barrelled, muzzle-loaded firearms that were commonly used from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2024
With muskets drawn, Napoleon asks the chambers, “Shall we vote?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2024
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The “crossroads of the Civil War,” as Virginia’s Spotsylvania County calls itself, is once again a cauldron of hostilities, this time minus the muskets.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 5, 2023
The two boys were standing close to a stack of muskets.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
