trebuchet

Meaning

Noun

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

Origin

• From Old French trebuchet, trebuket et al. (modern trébuchet), from trebuchier, from tre- + *buchier, from Old French buc, from Old Frankish *buk, from Proto-Germanic *būkaz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw-. Cognate with Old High German būh, Old English būc. More at bouk.