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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate

cannonball

KA-nuhn-bawl

Cannonball (noun) means a round metal projectile fired from a cannon. Example: “Museum visitors can see cannonballs recovered from the old shipwreck.”

noun
1
A round metal projectile fired from a cannon.
"Museum visitors can see cannonballs recovered from the old shipwreck."
2
A jump into water with knees tucked to the chest, made to create a big splash.
"He ran off the diving board and did a cannonball right next to his sister."
verb
1
To dive into water in this tucked, splashy style.
"The kids kept cannonballing off the dock all afternoon."

How to use cannonball

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA round cannon shot, or a big-splash pool jump done the same shape.

Common pairings
do a cannonball cannonball into the pool

Word forms

cannonballed past tense, cannonballs plural, cannonballs singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Museum visitors can see _____ recovered from the old shipwreck.

Etymology

From "cannon" plus "ball," describing the round shot fired from a cannon.

round shot cannon ball

Frequently asked questions

What does “cannonball” mean?

The word “cannonball” means a round metal projectile fired from a cannon. In plain terms, a round cannon shot, or a big-splash pool jump done the same shape.

How do you pronounce “cannonball”?

“Cannonball” is pronounced KA-nuhn-bawl (/ˈkænənˌbɔːl/ in IPA).

How do you use “cannonball” in a sentence?

Here is “cannonball” used in a sentence: “Museum visitors can see cannonballs recovered from the old shipwreck.”

What part of speech is “cannonball”?

Depending on how it is used, “cannonball” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “cannonball” have?

“Cannonball” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a round metal projectile fired from a cannon.

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