(Fr. couleuvrine, from Lat. colubrinus, serpent-like), a name given to a long and slender piece of ordnance, at a time when it was the fashion to apply fanciful appellations to such things, of which falconet is another example. A whole culverin was an 18-pounder, and a demi-culverin a 9-pounder.

CULVERT is used generally to denote any arched channel for the passage of water under ground, such as is common in the embankments of railways.