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catapult

Pronunciation: /ˈkæ.tə.pʌlt/

The English word “catapult” has 10 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A device or weapon for throwing or launching large objects.
  2. A mechanical aid on aircraft carriers designed to help airplanes take off from the flight deck.
  3. A slingshot.
  4. An instance of firing a missile from a catapult.
  5. An instance of firing something, as if from a catapult.

verb

  1. To fire a missile from a catapult.
  2. To fire or launch something, as if from a catapult.
  3. To increase the status of something rapidly.
  4. To be fired from a catapult or as if from a catapult.
  5. To have one's status increased rapidly.

Etymology

From Middle French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Ancient Greek καταπέλτης (katapéltēs), from κατά (katá, “downwards, into, against”) + πάλλω (pállō, “to poise or sway a missile before it is thrown”). Doublet of catapulta.

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