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recoilless

American

[ri-koil-lis, ree-koil-] / rɪˈkɔɪl lɪs, ˈriˌkɔɪl- /

adjective

having little or no recoil.

a recoilless rifle.

recoilless British

/ rɪˈkɔɪllɪs /

adjective

denoting a gun, esp an antitank weapon, in which the blast is vented to the rear so as to eliminate or reduce recoil

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of recoilless

First recorded in 1945–50; recoil + -less

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The ministry distributed to media outlets photos of North Korean soldiers building a guard post and moving a suspected recoilless rifle to a newly built trench.

From Washington Times • Nov. 27, 2023

The agreement for anti-tank weapons enables purchases of missiles, recoilless rifles, ammunition and other related equipment, it said, adding the purchases are pending separate investment decisions.

From Reuters • May 18, 2022

Decades ago, the military provided Mammoth and other ski areas with old-style recoilless rifles for controlling avalanches.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2017

The barrel of a recoilless rifle is open at both ends.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

They were practically recoilless, but the burst drifted him forward against the cradle harness.

From Slingshot by Lande, Irving W.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023