I. ˈkwint ə n noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English quintaine, from Middle French, from Latin quintana street in a Roman camp separating the fifth maniple from the sixth where military exercises were performed, from feminine of quintanus fifth in rank, from quintus fifth + -anus -an
1. : an object to be tilted at ; especially : a post with a crosspiece having at one end a broad board and at the other end a sandbag used especially in the middle ages in a sport the object of which was to strike the board with a lance while riding under and to get past without being hit by the sandbag
2. : the sport of tilting at a quintain
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: quinti- + -ain (as in quatrain )
obsolete : a five-line stanza