Standard Lemma guide

ballista

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /bəˈlɪstə/
  • rhymes with -ɪstə

1

noun

Meaning 1

An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: engineering, government, military, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, politics, tools, war, weaponry

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: catapult, arbalest, arbalist, bricole, mangonel, onager, trebuchet, trebucket

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: engine

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ballista, from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα (ballístra), from βάλλω (bállō, “to throw”).

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَرَّادَة (ʕarrāda) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Catalan: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Chinese Mandarin: 弩炮 (nǔpào) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Czech: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Finnish: ballista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • French: baliste — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • French: malvesine — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Greek: βαλλίστρα (vallístra) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Ancient Greek: βαλλίστρα (ballístra) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Italian: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Latin: ballista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Persian: خرکمان (xarkamân) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Persian: عراده ('arrâde) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Polish: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Portuguese: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Russian: балли́ста (ballísta) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Spanish: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Swedish: ballista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Turkish: balista — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles
  • Ottoman Turkish: منجنیق (mencenik, mancınık) — crossbow-like military engine for hurling large missiles