culverin

 
Pronunciation: /ˈkʌlv(ə)rɪn/

noun

  • 1a 16th- or 17th-century cannon with a relatively long barrel for its bore.
  • 2a kind of handgun of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Origin:

late 15th century (in culverin (sense 2)): from Old French coulevrine, from couleuvre 'snake', based on Latin colubra