Ballista

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ballista \Bal*lis"ta\, n.; pl. {Ballist[ae]}. [L. ballista,
     balista, fr. Gr. ba`llein to throw.]
     An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used
     for hurling large missiles.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ballista
       n : medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine
           for hurling large stones and other missiles [syn: {catapult},
            {arbalest}, {arbalist}, {bricole}, {mangonel}, {onager},
            {trebuchet}, {trebucket}]
       [also: {ballistae} (pl)]