howitzer

howitzer
\ \ [17] Czech houfnice denotes a ‘large catapult’ for hurling stones at the enemy. It was borrowed into German as houfenitz, and this made its way into English as howitz at the end of the 17th century. This had died out within a hundred years, but at around the same time English acquired howitzer, probably via Dutch houwitser, which has stood the test of time.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • howitzer — [hou′it sər] n. [Du houvietser < 15th c. Ger haufenitz < Czech houfnice, howitzer, orig., a sling] a short cannon, larger than a mortar, firing shells in a high trajectory …   English World dictionary

  • Howitzer — How itz*er, n. [G. haubitze, formerly hauffnitz, Bohem. haufnice, orig., a sling.] (Mil.) (a) A gun so short that the projectile, which was hollow, could be put in its place by hand; a kind of mortar. [Obs.] (b) A short, light, largebore cannon,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • howitzer — 1680s, via Du. houwitser (1660s), Ger. Haubitze from Bohemian houfnice a catapult, from houf heap, crowd, a loan word from M.H.G. hufe heap. Introduced to German during the Hussite wars, 14c …   Etymology dictionary

  • howitzer — ► NOUN ▪ a short gun for firing shells at a high angle. ORIGIN Dutch houwitser, from Czech houfnice catapult …   English terms dictionary

  • Howitzer — A howitzer is a type of artillery piece that is characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small explosive charges to propel projectiles at trajectories with a steep angle of descent. In the taxonomies of artillery… …   Wikipedia

  • howitzer — 1. A cannon that combines certain characteristics of guns and mortars. The howitzer delivers projectiles with medium velocities, either by low or high trajectories. 2. Normally a cannon with a tube length of 20 to 30 calibers; however, the tube… …   Military dictionary

  • Howitzer — Obusier Howitzer 105 mm M2A1 tracté La définition de l obusier diffère selon les époques. Les premiers obusiers doivent leur nom au fait qu ils tiraient des obus, c est à dire des projectiles creux qui explosaient après leur chute, contrairement… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • howitzer — noun /ˈhaʊw.ɪts.ə(ɹ)/ a) A cannon that combines certain characteristics of guns and mortars. The howitzer delivers projectiles with medium velocities, either by low or high trajectories. JP 1 02. b) Normally a cannon with a tube length of 20 to… …   Wiktionary

  • howitzer — UK [ˈhaʊɪtsə(r)] / US [ˈhaʊɪtsər] noun [countable] Word forms howitzer : singular howitzer plural howitzers a type of large gun that soldiers use for firing missiles high into the air …   English dictionary

  • howitzer — /ˈhaʊɪtsə/ (say howitsuh) noun a comparatively short barrelled cannon, used especially for shelling at a steep angle, as in reaching troops behind cover. {earlier hauwitzer, apparently from Dutch houwitser, from houwits(e) catapult. Compare… …  

  • Howitzer — 155 mm Feldhaubitzen Kanadische 105 mm Haubitze C2 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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