culverin

Etymology

From Middle English culveryne, from Old French coulevrine, from couleuvre (“snake”) (or from Latin colubrīnus), ultimately from Latin colubra, coluber (“snake”). Doublet of colubrine.

noun

  1. A kind of handgun.
  2. A large cannon.
    This had been discharged from a culverin on the opposite side of the valley. 1895, R. D. Blackmore, Slain By The Doones, Dodd, Mead and Company, page 6

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