artillery

noun

ar·​til·​lery är-ˈti-lə-rē How to pronounce artillery (audio)
-ˈtil-rē
plural artilleries
1
: weapons (such as bows, slings, and catapults) for discharging missiles
2
a
: large bore mounted firearms (such as guns, howitzers, and rockets) : ordnance
especially : such ordnance that is capable of long-range indirect fire at a target too distant to be seen
b
: a branch of an army armed with artillery
3
: a means of impressing, arguing, persuading, or competing
… indicated that the Bureau had not rolled out its heavy artillery for a full-scale investigation.Herbert Mitgang

Examples of artillery in a Sentence

The troops were being bombarded by artillery. a captain in the artillery
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, North Korea is expected to deploy additional forces to Russia's Kursk Oblast, primarily consisting of gun and rocket artillery units. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025 And supplies, including artillery and tanks, were still reaching the Viet Cong. David Hambling, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025 Natalia returned to Kosovo that fall for another two months of training, and she is currently certified to dispose of mines, rockets, artillery and mortar shells, submunitions, grenades, and small arms. Michael Holtz, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025 Germany, Ukraine’s second biggest military backer, sent its defense minister to Kyiv Tuesday, with the promise of a brand-new artillery system. Clare Sebastian, CNN, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for artillery 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English artilrie, artillerie "instruments of war, weapons for discharging missiles," borrowed from Anglo-French & continental Middle French artelrie, artillerie, from Old French artillier "to equip, provide with instruments of war" (alteration, probably after art "skill, craft, art entry 1" and its derivatives, of atiller, atillier "to order, adjust, put on pieces of armor") + -rie, -erie -ery; atiller, atillier going back to Vulgar Latin *apticulāre, from Latin aptāre "to put into position, bring to bear, make ready" + Vulgar Latin *-iculāre, as in *appariculāre "to prepare, equip, apparel entry 2" — more at adapt

Note: The expected outcome of *apticulāre would be *ateiller rather than atiller, which would appear to derive from *aptīculāre; the discrepancy has been explained as a result of interference from the semantically similar verb atirier, atirer "to equip, prepare" (see attire entry 1).

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of artillery was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near artillery

Cite this Entry

“Artillery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artillery. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

artillery

noun
ar·​til·​lery är-ˈtil-(ə-)rē How to pronounce artillery (audio)
plural artilleries
1
: large firearms (as cannon or rockets)
2
: a branch of an army armed with artillery
artilleryman
-mən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on artillery

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