AK-47

[ey-key-fawr-tee-sev-uhn]

noun

1. a Soviet-designed, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle with a caliber of 7.62 millimeters, used for automatic or semiautomatic fire.

AK-47

noun

1. a type of Kalashnikov assault rifle

Word History and Origins

Origin of AK-47¹

First recorded in 1947; from Russian A(vtomat) K(alashnikova), automatic gun of Kalashnikov, after Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov (1919–2013), Soviet arms engineer

Word History and Origins

Origin of AK-47¹

C20: from A(utomat) K(alashnikov)

Example Sentences

Zada and Tawhedi sought to buy two AK-47 rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition to carry out a "mass-casualty attack" on election day, according to court documents.

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The prosecution said that although Hodniuk crawled out of a dugout unarmed and surrendered, Kurashov shot him point-blank with several aimed AK-47 shots – a violation of the laws of war.

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During the 2020 Democratic primaries, for example, presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke proclaimed, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47.”

Read more on Slate

“In this way, they are saving a lot of money. Everyone has one AK-47 and an explosive device.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Fayaz Khan, 26, made a gun gesture with his hand, pointed to an AK-47 tattoo on his face and named the Reform UK leader in a TikTok post in October 2024.

Read more on BBC