cannonball
n.a large, heavy ball made of metal that is fired from a cannon. It is used to attack ships or buildings from a distance.
n.a large, heavy projectile, typically made of iron or lead, fired from a cannon. Often used in historical contexts to describe the physical object or the act of firing it.
“The cannonball hit the side of the ship.”
“During the naval battle, the crew loaded the cannon with a heavy cannonball to disable the enemy vessel.”
“The historian noted that the cannonball had embedded itself deep into the stone wall, leaving a massive crater that remained visible for centuries.”
“Chain shot is two cannonballs linked by a chain.”
From cannon + ball from being a round ball that is fired from a cannon.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.