Definition of culverin in English:
culverin
noun ˈkʌlv(ə)rɪnˈkəlvərən
1A 16th- or 17th-century cannon with a relatively long barrel for its bore.
Example sentencesExamples
- And whereas the Spanish had only 21 culverins (long-range iron guns), the English had 153; whereas the Spanish had 151 demi-culverins, the English had 344.
- In view of the range he ascribes to the culverin, some remarks on gun performances are in order.
- She weighed five hundred tons and carried thirty-eight guns: twenty-two culverins and sixteen demi-culverins.
- A falcon shot a 2-to 3-pound projectile; a culverin fired a 15-to 22-pound projectile.
- Their ship, Lady Edwina, mounts eight culverins and ten demi-culverins along with a prime crew of English seamen.
2A kind of handgun of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Example sentencesExamples
- The culverins proved to be versatile and effective guns in the late medieval period.
Origin
Late 15th century (in sense 2): from Old French coulevrine, from couleuvre 'snake', based on Latin colubra.