flintlock
Meaning
an old type of gun in which a small piece of flint is used to produce a spark that ignites the gunpowder.
the lock or firing mechanism of such a gun.
Structure
Usage
the museum displayed a beautifully engraved flintlock pistol from the 18th century.
loading a flintlock required careful measurement of gunpowder.
the distinctive click of the cocking flintlock echoed in the quiet forest.
Etymology
the word 'flintlock' is a transparent compound from old english, combining 'flint', a type of hard quartz known for its use in starting fires, and 'lock', referring to the firing mechanism of a firearm. the term emerged in the early 17th century to describe the new ignition system for muskets, where a piece of flint held in a spring-loaded cock would strike a steel plate (the frizzen) to create sparks. this technological innovation replaced earlier matchlock and wheellock mechanisms, and the name directly reflects its core functional component—the flint within the lockwork. over time, 'flintlock' came to refer both to the specific mechanism and to the entire firearm that utilized it, solidifying its place in the history of weaponry.
Analysis
flint (old english; a hard grey stone that produces sparks when struck against steel). lock (old english; a fastening mechanism or device).