quintain

UK: /ˈkwɪntɪn/ US: (kwin′tn)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

quin•tain  (kwin′tn), n. 

1. an object mounted on a post or attached to a movable crossbar mounted on a post, used as a target in the medieval sport of tilting.
2. the sport of tilting at a quintain.

• Middle French quintaine or Medieval Latin quintāna, of obscure origin, originally; the alleged connection with Latin quīntāna "market place in a military camp'' is dubious
• late Middle English quyntain object for tilting at 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

quintain / ˈkwɪntɪn/ noun (esp in medieval Europe)

1. a post or target set up for tilting exercises for mounted knights or foot soldiers

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French quintaine, from Latin: street in a Roman camp between the fifth and sixth maniples, from quintus fifth