culverin
noun/ˈkʌlvəɹɪn/
Etymology From Middle English culveryne, from Old French coulevrine, from couleuvre (“snake”) (or from Latin colubrīnus), ultimately from Latin colubra, coluber (“snake”). Doublet of colubrine.
› Any of a range of early gunpowder-fired guns…
1
Historical A kind of handgun.
2
Historical A large cannon.
- Let Sacars, Culuerings, and Cannons ſound / In honour of their bones, and rock the ground / With all your deafning terrors: for behold / The Balſum for your wounds, are rich mens gold, / Powder the world with wonder, and thus crie, / The Camel now may paſſe the needles eie.1616, M. Robert Anton, “The Philosophers fovrth Satyr of Mars”, in The Philosophers Satyrs, London: Printed by T[homas] C[reede] and B[ernard] A[lsop] for Roger Iackſon, page 36:
- This had been discharged from a culverin on the opposite side of the valley.1895, R. D. Blackmore, Slain By The Doones, Dodd, Mead and Company, page 6:
- Derived terms
- culverineer, demiculverin