musket
musket Lexical Profile
musket Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A muzzle-loading, smoothbore firearm with a long barrel, typically fired from the shoulder, that was primarily used by infantry troops before the widespread adoption of the rifle.
"During the historic reenactment, the infantry advanced across the field carrying heavily loaded muskets."
Word Nuance & Usage
A musket is strictly a smoothbore weapon, which distinguishes it technically and historically from a rifle, which has internal barrel grooves (rifling) designed to increase accuracy.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle French 'mousquet' (originally denoting a type of sparrowhawk, later applied to a firearm), from Italian 'moschetto', a diminutive of 'mosca' (fly). This reflects a common historical practice of naming early firearms and artillery after birds of prey or flying creatures.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.