(Askeri) The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus or hackbut; from Dutch haakbus, meaning "hook gun") was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. Like its successor, the musket, it was a smoothbore firearm, although somewhat smaller than its predecessors, which made it easier to carry. It was a forerunner of the rifle and other longarm firearms
{i} harquebus, firearm having a long barrel which is no longer in use; matchlock gun created in the 15th century