trebuchet
/ˈtɹɛb.juˌʃɛt/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.07 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A medieval siege engine consisting of a large pivoting arm heavily weighted on one end.
noun
A torture device for dunking suspected witches by means of a chair attached to the end of a long pole.
verb
To shoot with a trebuchet.
Example Sentences
- "Medieval trebuchets are said to have been capable of launching 90-kg projectiles over distances of more than 300 meters."
- "With counterweight trebuchets at its disposal, a besieging force at last had the advantage in sieges, and it was probably the appearance of the trebuchet which prompted the changes in castle design from the mid-twelfth century onwards which were described in the previous chapter: the move from rectangular to round or multiform towers […]"
Etymology
From Old French trebuchet, trebuket et al. (modern trébuchet), from trebuchier (“to overthrow, topple”), from tres- + *buchier, from Old French buc (“trunk of the body”), from Old Frankish *būk (“belly, trunk, torso”), from Proto-Germanic *būkaz (“belly, abdomen, trunk”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw- (“to blow, swell”). Cognate with Old High German būh (“belly”), Old English būc (“belly, trunk”). More at bouk.
Origin
- Source language: Old French
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈtɹɛb.juˌʃɛt/
- British English: /ˈtɹɛbəʃɛt/