noun
- Plural of arbalest; large medieval crossbows with a mechanical device for drawing and holding the bowstring.
Usage: archaic; historical
Examples
- Medieval soldiers wielded arbelests as powerful ranged weapons on the battlefield.
- The castle's defenders loaded their arbelests with bolts to repel the siege.
- Arbelests required significant strength to cock and were slower to fire than longbows.
- Knights equipped with arbelests could penetrate armor more effectively than archers.
- Historical records describe arbelests as among the most advanced siege weapons of the 12th century.