What is a "SHOTGUN" speaker cable??

The first time I heard the term "shotgun" was in the early 80's. It was used by MIT to describe a double run of 750 speaker wire.

I believe the term 'shotgun' refers to the cross-section resembling a 'double barrel shotgun.' That means two separate runs; one end of both cables terminate to a single point(amp end), the other terminated to connect in common bi-wire configuration.

Actually, I realize now that what I have described above is an external bi-wire configuration. True shotgun would be as mentioned by Jig: two separate cables joined to single pairs of terminations at BOTH ends.

This just keeps getting better, doesn't it?

So let me see if I have this right. If I was just hooking up one channel, this is what I would be faced with:

Shotgun = A strand of wire that terminates into 4 spades/bananas on the amp side and then 4 spades/bananas on the speaker side?

Traditional bi-wire = A strand of wire with 2 spades/bananas for the amp end and then 4 spades/bananas for the speaker side?

Sorry if this all seems quite redundant, but sometimes the nomenclature in this hobby loses a simpleton like me.

-Jake

Well, what is it called when there are 8 connections at EACH end?
ie:
4 on left speaker, from 4 at left amp output. This duplicated on the right.

audio - how confusing! :-)