ballista
noun
bal·lis·ta
bə-ˈli-stə 
plural ballistae
bə-ˈli-ˌstē
: an ancient military engine often in the form of a crossbow for hurling large missiles
Examples of ballista in a Sentence
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In human history, this old-school Godzilla-sized crossbow goes by a different name—a ballista.
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William Gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, 6 May 2019
Nixey delivers this ballista-bolt of a book with her eyes wide open and in an attempt to bring light as well as heat to the sad story of intellectual monoculture and religious intolerance.
—Bettany Hughes, New York Times, 8 June 2018
Other artifacts were discovered during the dig as well, including ballista bolts, brooches, arrowheads, leather shoes, knives, bath clogs, writing tablets and pen and cavalry lances.
—Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 14 Sep. 2017
These miniature plastic or metal ballistas can fire a toothpick with enough force to pierce cardboard or — if loaded up with metal needles instead of wooden skewers — a soda can, the BBC reports.
—Joseph Hincks, Time, 22 June 2017
Nahshon Szanton and Moran Hagbi, the directors of the excavation, said the ballista balls were used by the Romans to bombard Jerusalem during the battle.
—Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 25 May 2017
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William Gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, 6 May 2019
Nixey delivers this ballista-bolt of a book with her eyes wide open and in an attempt to bring light as well as heat to the sad story of intellectual monoculture and religious intolerance.
—Bettany Hughes, New York Times, 8 June 2018
Other artifacts were discovered during the dig as well, including ballista bolts, brooches, arrowheads, leather shoes, knives, bath clogs, writing tablets and pen and cavalry lances.
—Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 14 Sep. 2017
These miniature plastic or metal ballistas can fire a toothpick with enough force to pierce cardboard or — if loaded up with metal needles instead of wooden skewers — a soda can, the BBC reports.
—Joseph Hincks, Time, 22 June 2017
Nahshon Szanton and Moran Hagbi, the directors of the excavation, said the ballista balls were used by the Romans to bombard Jerusalem during the battle.
—Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 25 May 2017
Cite this Entry
“Ballista.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballista. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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