# trebuchet

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɹɛbəʃɛt/ · frequency rank #87,921

## Definitions
1. A medieval siege engine consisting of a large pivoting arm heavily weighted on one end.
2. A torture device for dunking suspected witches by means of a chair attached to the end of a long pole.

## Etymology
From Old French trebuchet, trebuket et al. (modern trébuchet), from trebuchier (“to overthrow, topple”), from tres- + *buchier, from Old French buc (“trunk of the body”), from Old Frankish *būk (“belly, trunk, torso”), from Proto-Germanic *būkaz (“belly, abdomen, trunk”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw- (“to blow, swell”). Cognate with Old High German būh (“belly”), Old English būc (“belly, trunk”). More at bouk.

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