noun
pistol
PIS-tuhl/ˈpɪstl/
A small firearm designed to be held and fired with one hand.
The compact pistol has a short barrel and a grip for one hand.
Etymology
French pistole already meant a short firearm, so English preserves that compact-weapon sense. Its deeper origin is uncertain; the suggested connection with a word meaning “tube” or “pipe” remains only a possibility.
In context
Holding a thirty-two-calibre pistol in his right hand and aiming it at the target, Kennedy picked up a large piece of coarse homespun from the table and held it loosely over the muzzle of the gun. Then he fired.
More examples
- The museum displays two pistols from the nineteenth century.
- She practices with her pistol at an indoor shooting range.
- The detective finds a pistol beneath the car seat.
Forms
pistol · pistols
Similar words
- handgun
- A general term covering both pistols and revolvers.
- revolver
- Specifically has a rotating cylinder that holds multiple rounds.
- firearm
- Broader term that also includes rifles and shotguns.