Minié ball

[ min-ee, min-ee-ey; French mee-nyey ]

noun

1. a conical bullet with a hollow base that expanded when fired, used in the 19th century.

Minié ball

/ ˈmɪnɪˌeɪ; miɲe /

noun

1. a conical rifle bullet, used in the 19th century, manufactured with a hollow base designed to expand when fired to fit the rifling

Word History and Origins

Origin of Minié ball¹

1855–60; named after C. E. Minié (1814–79), French officer who invented it

Word History and Origins

Origin of Minié ball¹

C19: named after Capt C. E. Minié (1814–1879), French army officer who invented it

Example Sentences

On top — a Minie ball, or Civil War bullet, and a button that appeared to bear a Virginia seal.

From Washington Post

The new rifled musket was capable of firing conical Minié ball rounds faster, farther and more accurately than the old spherical rounds, yet massed armies continued to march in long lines of battle, shoulder-to-shoulder, within close range of the other side, causing a bloodbath of unprecedented magnitude.

From Salon

Miss a minie ball at Gettysburg?

From Slate

Invented by the Frenchman Claude-Etienne Minié, the Minié ball was a cone-shaped ball of lead with a hollow base.

From Slate

Minié ball from hundreds of bullets stashed in front of our counter and wondered whether my grandfather knew what he was signing us up for when he found his first one.

From Time