MUSKET

musket

(noun) a muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel; formerly used by infantrymen

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

musket (plural muskets)

A kind of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army, originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted; ultimately superseded by the rifle.

(falconry) A male Eurasian sparrowhawk.

Source: Wiktionary

Mus"ket, n. Etym: [F. mousquet, It. moschetto, formerly, a kind of hawk; cf. OF. mousket, moschet, a kind of hawk falcon, F. mouchet, prop., a little fly (the hawk prob. being named from its size), fr. L. musca a fly. Cf. Mosquito.] [Sometimes written also musquet.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Definition: The male of the sparrow hawk.

2. A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted. This arm has been generally superseded by the rifle.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition