What does crossbow mean?
A crossbow is a projectile weapon consisting of a bow mounted transversely on a stock that fires short arrows called bolts or quarrels. Unlike an ordinary bow, which is held vertically and drawn and released by hand, the crossbow's string is drawn back and held by a mechanical catch, then released with a trigger. This design made it revolutionary in medieval warfare: it required far less strength and training than a longbow, allowing ordinary soldiers to penetrate armour at considerable range. The word combines 'cross', referring to the perpendicular arrangement of bow and stock, with 'bow'. Today the crossbow appears chiefly in historical discussion, archery sport, hunting in some jurisdictions, and fantasy fiction, and it remains a familiar emblem of medieval weaponry and engineering ingenuity.
nounA weapon consisting of a bow mounted horizontally on a stock, which shoots short bolts or quarrels by means of a trigger mechanism.
- A ranged weapon with a horizontal bow on a stock, discharged by a trigger.
"The medieval soldier loaded his crossbow and took aim at the castle wall."
"She drew the crossbow's string back until it locked into place."
"Crossbows were prized in siege warfare because they required little training to use effectively."
Regular plural; standard in all contexts.
"Both hunters carried crossbows during the early season."
The medieval Church banned the crossbow against Christians in 1139 because it let an untrained peasant kill a knight in full armour with one pull of a trigger.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crossbow
The word 'crossbow' derives from Middle English 'crosbowe', combining 'cross' — from Old French 'crois', ultimately Latin 'crux', meaning the crossing shape of bow over stock — with 'bow', from Old English 'boga'. The weapon itself entered Europe in the medieval period via earlier Mediterranean and Asian designs, and English also borrowed 'arbalest' from Old French for the same weapon. Cognates of the 'cross' element include 'crucial' and 'crusade', all tracing back to Latin 'crux'.
Related word forms
How crossbow is actually used
'Crossbow' is a concrete noun used in historical, sporting, and fantasy contexts; figurative use is rare. The plural 'crossbows' is regular.
Easily confused with crossbow
A longbow is a tall, hand-drawn vertical bow without a stock or trigger, whereas a crossbow mounts its bow on a horizontal stock fired by a trigger.