BOMBARD, the name in various forms, of a mediaeval musical instrument ("bombard," "bumhart," "pumhart," "pom mer"), the forerunner of the base oboe or schalmey. A small primitive oboe called bombarde, with eight holes but no keys, is still used among the Breton peasants.
Also a primitive type of cannon used in the middle ages— whence the verb "to bombard" and "bombardment."