plumbata

English

Etymology

Latin plumbāta.

Noun

plumbata (plural plumbatae or plumbata)

1. (historical) A lead-weighted dart, used by soldiers in Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
   • 2013, John O'Bryan, A History of Weapons: Crossbows, Caltrops, Catapults & Lots of Other Things that Can Seriously Mess You Up, Chronicle Books, →ISBN, page 68:

     The plumbata was an ancient Roman version of the lawn dart—a weighted projectile with a sharp point that was lobbed underhanded toward its target. And like the lawn dart, the plumbata killed its share of people. […] A typical Roman legionary could carry up to four plumbata inside his shield, […]

   • 2016, Rexford Walker, Strike of Venus, →ISBN:

     "These plumbata make marching difficult," he complained to Claudius, who was marching beside him.

Latin

Participle

plumbāta

1. inflection of plumbātus:
   1. nominative/vocative feminine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural

Participle

plumbātā

1. ablative feminine singular of plumbātus