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A trunnion (from Old French trognon 'trunk')[1] is a cylindrical protrusion used as a mounting or pivoting point. First associated with cannons, they are an important military development.[2]
Alternatively, a trunnion is a shaft that positions and supports a tilting plate. This is a misnomer, as in reality it is a cradle for the true trunnion. [citation needed]
In mechanical engineering (see the trunnion bearing section below), it is one part of a rotating joint where a shaft (the trunnion) is inserted into (and turns inside) a full or partial cylinder.