howitzer
pronunciation
How to pronounce howitzer in British English:
UK [ˈhaʊɪtsə(r)]
How to pronounce howitzer in American English:
US [ˈhaʊɪtsɚ]
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- Noun:
- a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that fires shells at high elevations for a short range
Word Origin
- 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.
- howitzer (n.)
- 1680s, via Dutch houwitser (1660s), German Haubitze from Bohemian houfnice "a catapult," from houf "heap, crowd," a loan-word from Middle High German hufe "heap." Introduced to German during the Hussite wars, 14c.
Example
- 1. About 35 minutes later , the south fired three howitzer shells into the sea .
- 2. The top 10 best self-propelled howitzer in the world .
- 3. They may have a howitzer .
- 4. You can see from this window my brazen howitzer planted .
- 5. They may have a howitzer . It makes no difference .