Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Howitzer \How"itz*er\, n. [G. haubitze, formerly hauffnitz,
   Bohem. haufnice, orig., a sling.] (Mil.)
   (a) A gun so short that the projectile, which was hollow,
       could be put in its place by hand; a kind of mortar.
       [Obs.]
   (b) A short, light, largebore cannon, usually having a
       chamber of smaller diameter than the rest of the bore,
       and intended to throw large projectiles with
       comparatively small charges.

Source : WordNet®

howitzer
     n : a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that
         fires shells at high elevations for a short range [syn: {mortar},
          {trench mortar}]