artillery

Etymology

From Middle English artillerie, from Old French artillerie (“collection of military engines, crossbows, lances etc.”), from artillier (“to equip, provide with contraptions”), alteration of atiller (“to arrange, adjust, put on clothes or, especially, pieces of armour”) (influenced by art), itself from Vulgar Latin *apticlō < **apticulō, from Latin aptō (“to make capable”).

noun

1. Large projectile weapons, in modern usage usually large guns, but also rocket artillery.
2. An army unit that uses such weapons, or a military formation using projectile weapons, such as archers.
3. Gunnery.
4. (archaic) Weapons.