from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Musket \Mus"ket\, n. [F. mousquet, It. moschetto, formerly, a
kind of hawk; cf. OF. mousket, moschet, a kind of hawk
falcon, F. mouchet, prop., a little fly (the hawk prob. being
named from its size), fr. L. musca a fly. Cf. {Mosquito}.]
[Sometimes written also {musquet}.]
1. (Zool.) The male of the sparrow hawk.
[1913 Webster]
2. A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of
an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or
matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances
(including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock)
were successively substituted. This arm has been
completely superseded by the rifle, and is now only of
historical interest.
[1913 Webster +PJC]