howitzer

noun

how·​it·​zer ˈhau̇-ət-sər How to pronounce howitzer (audio)
: a short cannon used to fire projectiles at medium muzzle velocities and with relatively high trajectories

Examples of howitzer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The howitzer can fire roughly 40 kilometers (about 25 miles). — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026 Both sides have made effective use of decoys, such as plywood M777 howitzers that are cheaper and easier to replace than the drones used to destroy them. — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026 With his howitzer groundstrokes, potent serve and developing feel, Fonseca is less primed to upset top players now than some of his contemporaries. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 The scary one involved reaching the moon and using Apollo 8’s howitzer of a main engine to slow the ship down and settle into lunar orbit, circling the moon 10 times before coming home. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for howitzer

Word History

Etymology

Dutch houwitser, ultimately from Czech houfnice ballista

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of howitzer was in 1695

Browse Nearby Words

how it is
howitzer
howk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Howitzer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/howitzer. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

howitzer

noun
how·​it·​zer ˈhau̇-ət-sər How to pronounce howitzer (audio)
: a short cannon capable of firing a shell in a high arc
Etymology

from Dutch houwitser "howitzer," derived from a Czechoslovakian word for "catapult"

More from Merriam-Webster on howitzer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about howitzer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All