Carabin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of firearm used by cavalry forces
2. A short rifle typically employed for military or police operations
3. A historical weapon originally designed for mounted troops and later adapted for infantry use

Etymology: "Carabin" is simply an older spelling of "carbine," and the two share a single origin. The word arrived in English around 1600 from French "carabine," a term for a light firearm carried by cavalry. Because English took the same word through French at different times, "carabin" and "carbine" are doublets: two forms of one word that entered the language separately. The archaic spelling kept the French shape more closely, which is one reason it looks foreign to modern eyes. Over time the spelling settled into the shorter "carbine," which is the form used today for a short-barrelled rifle.

Synonyms: carabiner, climbing hook