culverin

[ kuhl-ver-in ]

noun

1. medieval form of musket.
2. a kind of heavy cannon used in the 16th and 17th centuries.

culverin

/ ˈkʌlvərɪn /

noun

1. a long-range medium to heavy cannon used during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries
2. a medieval musket

Word History and Origins

Origin of culverin¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French coulevrine < Latin colubrīna, feminine of colubrīnus colubrine

Word History and Origins

Origin of culverin¹

C15: from Old French coulevrine, from couleuvre, from Latin coluber serpent

Example Sentences

Accordingly, early next day he fired off a culverin, and prepared to land with 100 men, “having light ordnance in his great boat, and in the other boats double bases in their noses.”

From Project Gutenberg

He has lowered the portcullis and pointed his culverins over the gate and will not yield it or listen to reason.

From Project Gutenberg

There were mounted on the ramparts six six-pounder and two four-pounder iron cannon, with two culverins.

From Project Gutenberg

The vessel had swung round a little, so that her stern-chaser, a culverin twelve feet long, pointed full at the fort.

From Project Gutenberg

I wrote concerning it, by the patache; and will only state here the number of pieces—namely, eleven of cast iron and one bronze culverin, these being large pieces.

From Project Gutenberg