a gun mounted at the stern of a vessel for firing aft at a pursuing vessel
stern chaser in American English
a gun mounted on the stern of a ship, used for firing to the rear
stern chaser in American English
noun
a cannon mounted at or near the stern of a sailing ship, facing aft
Word origin
[1805–15]This word is first recorded in the period 1805–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Indo-European, napoleon, one-sided, phase, polarization