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howitzer

noun

how·​it·​zer ˈhau̇-ət-sər How to pronounce howitzer (audio)
: a short cannon used to fire projectiles at medium muzzle velocities and with relatively high trajectories

Examples of howitzer in a Sentence

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.
Separately, Amnesty International published a detailed report earlier this year alleging that Chinese weapons, including AH4 howitzers, had been found in Darfur. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025 Advertisement Musk was having none of it, firing off a series of online howitzers the next day. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 24 Oct. 2025 While the howitzers are expected to be financed under Taiwan’s forthcoming special arms budget, acquisition of the Excalibur rounds has not yet received US approval and is not currently included in Taipei’s funding plan. Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025 For those who missed it, Brentford’s 93rd-minute equaliser against Chelsea on Saturday came from human howitzer Kevin Schade hurling the ball into the box, leggy Norwegian Kristoffer Ajer flicking it on and Fabio Carvalho poking it in at the back post. Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for howitzer

Word History

Etymology

Dutch houwitser, ultimately from Czech houfnice ballista

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of howitzer was in 1695

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Howitzer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/howitzer. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

howitzer

noun
how·​it·​zer ˈhau̇-ət-sər How to pronounce howitzer (audio)
: a short cannon capable of firing a shell in a high arc
Etymology

from Dutch houwitser "howitzer," derived from a Czechoslovakian word for "catapult"

More from Merriam-Webster on howitzer

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