wheel lock

noun

: a gun's lock for a muzzle-loading firearm in which sparks are struck from a flint or a piece of pyrite by a revolving wheel

Word History

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wheel lock was in 1670

Dictionary Entries Near wheel lock

Cite this Entry

“Wheel lock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheel%20lock. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on wheel lock

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!