how·it·zer 
(houĭt-sər)
(houĭt-sər)n.
A relatively short cannon that delivers shells at a medium muzzle velocity, usually by a high trajectory.
[Dutch houwitser, from German Haubitze, alteration of obsolete haufnitz, catapult, from Old Czech haufnice, probably from haufný, catapult that slung many stones at once : hauf, group, heap (probably from Middle High German hūfe, from Old High German hūfo) + -ný, n. suff.]