mangonel

M3A1N1G2O1N1E1L1

noun

A traction trebuchet (trebuchet operated by manpower).

Similar
bricoletraction trebuchet
OriginOld French mangonel ← Latin manganellus ← Ancient Greek μάγγανον →
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounmangonel (plural mangonels)

plural mangonels

  1. A military engine formerly used for throwing stones and burning objects.
    1. historicalA traction trebuchet (trebuchet operated by manpower).

      The cavalry were on the wings and the siege-engines, mangonels and catapults, planted on sand-dunes.

      1934, Robert Graves, chapter XXXII, in I, Claudius: […], New York, N.Y.: The Modern Library, →OCLC, page 401
    2. historicaloftenproscribednon-technicalAn onager (type of catapult).

Synonyms & antonyms

nouncatapult operated by manpower pulling cords attached to a lever and sling to launch projectiles

Similar
bricoletraction trebuchet
Broader
catapult
Also see
bricole

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekμάγγανον
  2. Latinmanganellus
  3. Old Frenchmangonel
  4. Englishmangonel

From Old French mangonel, from Latin manganellus, manganum, from Ancient Greek μάγγανον (mánganon).

More words from Old French, Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian балиста
  • балиста (balista)type of military engine
Dutch mangeneel, mangonel
  • mangeneeltype of military engine
  • mangoneltype of military engine
Finnish mangoneli
  • mangonelitype of military engine
French mangonneau
  • mangonneautype of military engine
Polish trebusz ciągniony, trebusz trakcyjny
  • trebusz ciągnionytype of military engine
  • trebusz trakcyjnytype of military engine
Portuguese manganela
  • manganelatype of military engine
Spanish manganilla, mangana
  • manganillatype of military engine
  • manganatype of military engine
  • maganeltype of military engine
  • mangoneltype of military engine
  • manganeltype of military engine

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Logemann
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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