An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Armbrust

by Friedrich Kluge

Armbrust, f., ‘crossbow,’ from the equiv. MidHG. armbrust, n., which must be a corruption of MidLat. arbalista, arcubalista, lit. ‘bow for projectiles’ (Lat. arcus, Gr. βἀλλευν). A compound of Arm and Brust is, properly speaking, impossible in G., especially as the MidHG. word is neut. From MidLat. arbalista comes the equiv. Fr. arbalète; comp. E. arbalist, Du. armborst, Ital. balestra, from the last of which the older ModHG. Balester, ‘cross-bow for shooting bullets,’ is borrowed.