mangonel

[ mang-guh-nel ]

noun

1. (formerly) any of various military engines for throwing large stones, darts, and other missiles.

mangonel

/ ˈmæŋɡəˌnɛl /

noun

1. history a war engine for hurling stones

Word History and Origins

Origin of mangonel¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French (diminutive), derivative of Late Latin manganum < Greek mánganon engine of war

Word History and Origins

Origin of mangonel¹

C13: via Old French from Medieval Latin manganellus, ultimately from Greek manganon

Example Sentences

We’ll also need a full arsenal of ballistae to fire spears at the invaders and mangonels to launch pots of burning pitch at their siege weapons.

From Washington Post

Elsewhere teams of slaves were raising ramps of stone and sand beneath their mangonels and scorpions, angling them upward at the sky, the better to defend the camp should the black dragon return.

From Literature

The curtains were overlapped with pent-houses somewhat shattered by the mangonels, trébuchets, and other slinging engines of the besiegers.

From Project Gutenberg

Another suggestion for the origin of the word is that the word represents a shortened form, gonne, of a supposed French mangonne, a mangonel, but the French word is mangonneau.

From Project Gutenberg

"If I mistake not, they left a mangonel behind them——" "Ay; but 'twould take a good five hours to bring it hither."

From Project Gutenberg