ballista
[ buh-lis-tuh ]
noun,plural bal·lis·tae [buh-lis-tee]. /bəˈlɪs ti/.
an ancient military engine for throwing stones or other missiles.
Origin of ballista
11590–1600; <Latin, probably <Greek *ballistā́s, dialectal variant of *ballistḗs, equivalent to báll(ein) to throw + -istēs-ist
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for ballista
ballista
/ (bəˈlɪstə) /
nounplural -tae (-tiː)
an ancient catapult for hurling stones, etc
an ancient form of large crossbow used to propel a spear
Origin of ballista
1C16: from Latin, ultimately from Greek ballein to throw
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse