Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

crossbow

/ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.05 in modern English

Syllables
cross-bow
IPA
/ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/
15
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A mechanised weapon, based on the bow and arrow, that shoots bolts.

noun

A portable ballista that can be held in the hand.

Etymology

From Middle English crosbowe, crossebowe, equivalent to cross + bow.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • British English: /ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/

Inflected Forms

crossbows (plural) cross-bow (alternative) xbow (alternative)

Derived Forms

crossbower crossbowman crossbowwoman crossbowsman

Phrases

bullet-shooting crossbow

Frequently Paired Words

bolt quarrel ballista arbalest bow

Questions

How do you pronounce crossbow?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/.
What does crossbow mean?
A mechanised weapon, based on the bow and arrow, that shoots bolts.
Where does crossbow come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce crossbow

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “crossbow”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “crossbow”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “crossbow” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.