\Mus"ket\, n. [F. mousquet, It. moschetto, formerly, a
kind of hawk; cf. OF. mousket, moschet, a kind of hawk
falcon, F. mouchet, prop., a little fly (the hawk prob. being
named from its size), fr. L. musca a fly. Cf. {Mosquito}.]
[Sometimes written also {musquet}.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) The male of the sparrow hawk.
2. A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of
   an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or
   matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances
   (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock)
   were successively substituted. This arm has been generally
   superseded by the rifle.