noun
- A short, large-caliber cannon formerly used on ships, designed to fire heavy shot at close range.
Usage: nautical; historical; archaic
Examples
- The frigate was equipped with twelve carronades mounted on her gun deck.
- Carronades were favored by naval commanders for their destructive power in close combat.
- The ship's carronade could deliver a devastating broadside at short range.
- During the Napoleonic Wars, carronades became standard armament on British warships.
- The carronade's shorter barrel made it lighter and easier to handle than traditional cannons.