Home › Words › B › ballisterballisterballister · noun — A crossbow or ballista.Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).EtymologyFrom Latin ballista. Compare balister.nounA crossbow or ballista.e.g.“Their ramparts were armed with 3,000 ballisters to shoot javelins with and 500 catapults.” — 1872 June, H. H. Howorth, “Jingis Khan”, in The Phœnix, volume 2, number 24, page 198:A brace on a brass instrument that helps hold the valves in place.e.g.“Solid nickel silver ballisters and mouthpipe for longer wear, better tone, ease of blowing.” — 1940, Montgomery Ward Catalog, page 550:Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.balister 89% match — A crossbow. vs ballister →ballistarius 84% match — A crossbowman. vs ballister →ballista 80% match — An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles. vs ballister →balestra 77% match — A kind of crossbow. vs ballister →arbalest 74% match — A steel crossbow. vs ballister →arbalister 74% match — A crossbowman. vs ballister →arbalestrier 73% match — A crossbowman. vs ballister →arcubalist 72% match — A crossbow. vs ballister →