Definition

1. Noun:
   • A serviceman in the artillery: A cannoneer is a soldier who operates a cannon, a large, heavy piece of artillery. This role involves loading, aiming, and firing the weapon.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The cannoneer expertly loaded the cannon with a fresh round.
  • During the reenactment, the cannoneer demonstrated the firing sequence for the visitors.

Advanced Usage

• The term is historically specific, most commonly associated with armies that used muzzle-loaded cannons, such as those from the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • In Napoleon's army, a skilled cannoneer was a highly valued member of the artillery corps.

Variants and Related Words

• Artilleryman (n): A more general term for a soldier serving in an artillery unit.
  • The artilleryman was responsible for maintaining the howitzers.
• Gunner (n): A broader term that can refer to a cannoneer or to a crew member who operates any kind of gun, especially on a ship, aircraft, or tank.
  • The tank gunner searched for targets through his sight.

Synonyms

• Artilleryman: A soldier in the artillery.
• Gunner: An operator of a large gun or cannon.

Related Phrases

• To serve the guns: An older phrase meaning to work as part of an artillery crew.
  • His ancestors served the guns in the Civil War.

Noun

1. a serviceman in the artillery