[hou-it-ser] 
| a cannon having a comparatively short barrel, used esp. for firing shells at a high angle of elevation, as for reaching a target behind cover or in a trench. |
| how·it·zer (hou'ĭt-sər) n. A relatively short cannon that delivers shells at a medium muzzle velocity, usually by a high trajectory. [Dutch houwitser, from German Haubitze, alteration of obsolete haufnitz, catapult, from Old Czech haufnice, probably from haufný, catapult that slung many stones at once : hauf, group, heap (from probably from Middle High German hūfe, from Old High German hūfo) + -ny, n. suff.] |