musket

[ muhs-kit ]

noun

1. a heavy, large-caliber smoothbore gun for infantry soldiers, introduced in the 16th century: the predecessor of the modern rifle.
2. the male sparrow hawk, Accipiter nisus.

musket

/ ˈmʌskɪt /

noun

1. a long-barrelled muzzle-loading shoulder gun used between the 16th and 18th centuries by infantry soldiers

Word History and Origins

Origin of musket¹

1580–90; < Middle French mousquet < Italian moschetto crossbow arrow, later musket, originally kind of hawk, equivalent to mosch ( a ) fly (< Latin musca ) + -etto -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of musket¹

C16: from French mousquet, from Italian moschetto arrow, earlier: sparrow hawk, from moscha a fly, from Latin musca

Example Sentences

The current Asantehene, Osei Tutu II, was paraded on his palanquin through the crowd, weighed down by magnificent gold jewellery, amid a glorious cacophony of musket explosions, drum beats and the blare of horns made from elephant tusks.

From BBC

In April this year, the musket ball hole was found behind a secret panel by volunteer researchers from the House’s History Team.

From BBC

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

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

Questions aside, a musket can come in handy.

From Slate

Related Words

• carbine
• rifle