archgunner
|arch-gun-ner|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑrtʃˌɡʌnər/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːtʃˌɡʌnə/
chief / expert gunner
Etymology
'archgunner' originates from Modern English as a compound: the prefix 'arch-' (from Greek 'arkhós' meaning 'chief, principal') + 'gunner' (agent noun from 'gun').
'archgunner' was formed in Modern English by combining the intensifying/prefix element 'arch-' with the established agent noun 'gunner'. 'Gunner' itself derives from Middle English 'gonne'/'gunne' (the word 'gun' attested from the 14th century), with the agent suffix '-er' forming 'gunner'.
Initially and most literally it meant 'the chief or principal gunner' in a military/nautical context; over time the compound has also been used figuratively to mean 'the foremost or most skilled gunner/marksman.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a chief or principal gunner — the senior gunner responsible for directing a ship's or fort's artillery and overseeing the gun crew.
The archgunner ordered the crew to adjust the barrel elevation before the next salvo.
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Noun 2
a highly skilled or outstanding gunner or marksman; used figuratively to denote the foremost expert in gunnery or firearms within a unit or group.
He was known as the archgunner of the regiment for his unmatched accuracy.
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Last updated: 2025/10/06 08:40