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appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted; ultimately superseded by the rifle.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 This arm has been generally superseded by the rifle.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



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Word of the Day

7 May 2025

RUNNER

(noun) a person who is employed to deliver messages or documents; “he sent a runner over with the contract”


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Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

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