Meanings
plural arbalests · alternative arbelest · alternative arbalet · alternative arbalist · alternative arblast
- A steel crossbow.
He excelled with the arbalest steel crossbow, winning the nickname the Arbalestier and joined Bahriyya regiment, the crack soldiers who defeated the Crusaders and became known as the Turkish Lions and the Islamic Templars.
2011, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Jerusalem: The Biography – A History of the Middle East, page 329 - A crossbowman who uses an arbalest.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinarcus
- Late Latinarcuballista
- Old Frencharbaleste
- Middle Englisharblast
- Englisharbalest
From Middle English arblast, from Old French arbaleste (modern arbalète), from Late Latin arcuballista, from Latin arcus + ballista.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Esperanto arbalesto
- arbalestolate form of medieval crossbow
German Arbalest
- Arbalestlate form of medieval crossbow
Polish arbalet
- arbaletlate form of medieval crossbow
Portuguese arbaleta
- arbaletalate form of medieval crossbow
Russian арбале́т
- арбале́т (arbalét)late form of medieval crossbow
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
arbalest. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arbalest
“arbalest.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arbalest. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arbalest,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arbalest.
Source: arbalest on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.