pistolero

[ pis-tl-air-oh; Spanish pees-taw-le-raw ]

noun

, plural pis·to·le·ros [pis-tl-, air, -ohz, pees-taw-, le, -, r, aws].

1. a member of an armed band of roving mounted bandits.
2. a gunman or hired killer.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pistolero¹

1935–40; < Spanish, equivalent to pistol ( a ) pistol + -ero < Latin -ārius -ary