crossbow

C3R1O1S1S1B3O1W4
UK/ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/

noun

A mechanised weapon, based on the bow and arrow, that shoots bolts.

OriginMiddle English crosbowe →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nouncrossbow (plural crossbows)

plural crossbows · alternative cross-bow · alternative xbow

  1. A mechanised weapon, based on the bow and arrow, that shoots bolts.
  2. A portable ballista that can be held in the hand.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
bowgun

Origin

  1. Middle Englishcrosbowe
  2. Englishcrossbow

From Middle English crosbowe, crossebowe, equivalent to cross + bow.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek γαστραφέτης
  • γαστραφέτης (gastraphétēs)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Arabic قَوْس إفْرَنْجِيَّة
  • قَوْس إفْرَنْجِيَّة (qaws ʔifranjiyya)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Basque balezta
  • baleztamechanised weapon based on the bow
Bulgarian арбале́т
  • арбале́т (arbalét)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Catalan ballesta
  • ballestamechanised weapon based on the bow
Chinese Mandarin 弩, 十字弓
  • 弩 (nǔ)mechanised weapon based on the bow
  • 十字弓 (shízìgōng)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Czech kuše
  • kušemechanised weapon based on the bow
Danish armbrøst
  • armbrøstmechanised weapon based on the bow
Dutch kruisboog
  • kruisboogmechanised weapon based on the bow
Esperanto arbalesto
  • arbalestomechanised weapon based on the bow
Estonian amb, vibupüss
  • ambmechanised weapon based on the bow
  • vibupüssmechanised weapon based on the bow
  • arbalettmechanised weapon based on the bow
  • pandpüssmechanised weapon based on the bow
Finnish varsijousi, jalkajousi
  • varsijousimechanised weapon based on the bow
  • jalkajousimechanised weapon based on the bow
French arbalète
  • arbalètemechanised weapon based on the bow
German Armbrust
  • Armbrustmechanised weapon based on the bow
Greek βαλλίστρα
  • βαλλίστρα (vallístra)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Hebrew קשת מוצלבת
  • קשת מוצלבת (késhet mutslévet)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Hungarian számszeríj
  • számszeríjmechanised weapon based on the bow
Icelandic lásbogi
  • lásbogimechanised weapon based on the bow
Irish crosbhogha
  • crosbhoghamechanised weapon based on the bow
Italian balestra
  • balestramechanised weapon based on the bow
Japanese 弩, クロスボウ
  • 弩 (ishiyumi)mechanised weapon based on the bow
  • クロスボウ (kurosubō)mechanised weapon based on the bow
  • ボウガン (bōgan)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Korean 석궁
  • 석궁 (seokgung)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Latin disputed, possibly arcuballista f or manuballista
  • disputedmechanised weapon based on the bow
  • possibly arcuballista f or manuballistamechanised weapon based on the bow
  • Mediaeval arballistamechanised weapon based on the bow
Latvian stops, arbalets
  • stopsmechanised weapon based on the bow
  • arbaletsmechanised weapon based on the bow
Lithuanian arbaletas
  • arbaletasmechanised weapon based on the bow
Norwegian Bokmål armbrøst
  • armbrøstmechanised weapon based on the bow
Persian کمان زنبورکی, کمان تفنگی
  • کمان زنبورکی (kamân-e zanburaki)mechanised weapon based on the bow
  • کمان تفنگی (kamân-e tofangi)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Polish kusza, samostrzał
  • kuszamechanised weapon based on the bow
  • samostrzałmechanised weapon based on the bow
Portuguese besta
  • bestamechanised weapon based on the bow
Romanian arbaletă
  • arbaletămechanised weapon based on the bow
Russian арбале́т, самостре́л
  • арбале́т (arbalét)mechanised weapon based on the bow
  • самостре́л (samostrél)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Scottish Gaelic crois-bhogha
  • crois-bhoghamechanised weapon based on the bow
Slovak kuša
  • kušamechanised weapon based on the bow
Spanish ballesta
  • ballestamechanised weapon based on the bow
Swedish armborst
  • armborstmechanised weapon based on the bow
Tagalog pasulo, balyesta
  • pasulomechanised weapon based on the bow
  • balyestamechanised weapon based on the bow
Thai หน้าไม้
  • หน้าไม้ (nâa-máai)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Turkish tatar yayı, arbalet
  • tatar yayımechanised weapon based on the bow
  • arbaletmechanised weapon based on the bow
Ukrainian арбале́т, самострі́л
  • арбале́т (arbalét)mechanised weapon based on the bow
  • самострі́л (samostríl)mechanised weapon based on the bow
Vietnamese ná, nỏ
  • námechanised weapon based on the bow
  • nỏmechanised weapon based on the bow
Welsh bwa croes
  • bwa croesmechanised weapon based on the bow
Cite this entry
APA

crossbow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossbow

MLA

“crossbow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossbow. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crossbow,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossbow.

Source: crossbow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.