Arquebus

/ˈɑrkɪbəs/ noun

An early portable firearm used from the 15th to 17th centuries, featuring a long barrel and often used with a forked rest for support.

From Dutch haakbus or German Hackenbüchse (hook gun), combined with the root 'buss' (gun). The name refers to the curved hook or arquebus that supported the barrel when firing. The weapon revolutionized European warfare in the 1500s.

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