# ballista

> English word · Noun · IPA /bəˈlɪstə/ · frequency rank #92,367

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

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

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ballista