Meaning
catapult
- An ancient military siege engine used to hurl stones or projectiles
- A modern launching mechanism (e.g. on aircraft carriers)
- A slingshot (regional or informal synonym of fionda)
In a sentence
L'esercito romano usava la catapulta per abbattere le mura nemiche.
The Roman army used the catapult to tear down enemy walls.
Il jet è decollato dalla portaerei grazie a una potente catapulta a vapore.
The jet took off from the aircraft carrier thanks to a powerful steam catapult.
Quel festival ha funzionato come una catapulta per la sua carriera musicale.
That festival served as a springboard for her musical career.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| catapulta | feminine · singular |
| catapulte | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Regular feminine noun ending in -a; plural is 'catapulte'.
- Can be used figuratively: 'essere una catapulta per il successo' (to be a springboard for success).