arbalist

Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

ar·ba·lest

also ar·ba·list (är′bə-lĭst)

A medieval missile launcher designed on the principle of the crossbow.

[Middle English arblast, from Old English, from Old French arbaleste, from Late Latin arcuballista : Latin arcus, bow + Latin ballista, ballista; see ballista.]

ar′ba·lest′er (-lĕs′tər) n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

arbalist, arbalest

a crossbowman. Also arcubalist.

See also: Arrows

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

arbalist - an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles

arbalest, ballista, bricole, mangonel, onager, trebuchet, trebucket, catapult

engine - an instrument or machine that is used in warfare, such as a battering ram, catapult, artillery piece, etc.; "medieval engines of war"

Mentioned in ?

References in periodicals archive ?

Meanwhile, The Arbalist Guild offers plans for building a "medieval-ish" crossbow with reverse limbs, and some unsubstantiated sources claim Leonardo DaVinci developed a reverse-draw crossbow in the 16th Century (hence the name LEOPRO).

A look at reverse-draw technology

Although I am the top assisted arbalist in Britain I get no financial help for training, equipment, travelling or accommodation."