crossbow

noun

cross·​bow ˈkrȯs-ˌbō How to pronounce crossbow (audio)
: a weapon for shooting quarrels and stones that consists chiefly of a short bow mounted crosswise near the end of a stock

Illustration of crossbow

Illustration of crossbow

Examples of crossbow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shotguns, pistols, AR-15s, and boxes of ammo sat by a bunk bed, along with a crossbow. Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 However, by that point, every bowhunter in the woods (and some crossbow and gun hunters, seasons depending), are in trees, too. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 24 Oct. 2024 If summer is your season of choice, try to plan your visit for the last weekend of July, when a four-day medieval festival takes over the microstate with historical reenactments, crossbow and flag-throwing competitions, and plenty of food, drink, music, and of course, stuff to buy. Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2024 The company revised the rules, rebuilt the crossbows and the catapults and introduced two ways to get into the game. Rob Wieland, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crossbow 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crossbow was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near crossbow

Cite this Entry

“Crossbow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crossbow. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

crossbow

noun
cross·​bow -ˌbō How to pronounce crossbow (audio)
: a short bow mounted crosswise near the end of a wooden stock that shoots short arrows

More from Merriam-Webster on crossbow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!