artillery

Where does the word "artillery" come from? It comes from Old French atillier, passing through French before entering English (1400s).

Artillery’s story begins in Old French: atillier meant “to equip, to arm.” Possibly from Latin 'ars', skill, applied to the craft of making war engines. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in French as artillerie. Settled in French for large weapons and war machines. It reached English by 1400s as artillery. Settled as the English word for large-caliber weapons like cannons. Today, artillery means large-caliber weapons, such as guns and cannons, used in warfare.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · medieval atillier "to equip, to arm", possibly from Latin 'ars', skill, applied to the craft of making war engines.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1400s artillerie "large weapons and war machines", settled in French for large weapons and war machines.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s artillery "large-caliber weapons such as cannons and guns", settled as the English word for large-caliber weapons like cannons.