AR-15

American  

[ey-ahr-fif-teen] / ˈeɪˈɑrˈfɪfˈtin /

Trademark.

1. a lightweight, gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle with a caliber of .223 inches, used for semiautomatic fire.

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Etymology

Origin of AR-15

First recorded in 1960–65; shortening of ArmaLite Rifle, not of assault rifle ( def. ), as commonly thought

Example Sentences

Guest: Cameron McWhirter, national affairs reporter for The Wall Street Journal covering mass shootings, violent protests, and natural disasters across the South and author of American Gun: the True Story of the AR-15.

From Slate • Sep. 25, 2024

Officials accuse him of allowing his son to possess an AR-15 style rifle.

From BBC • Sep. 8, 2024

The weapon used by the apparent shooter Saturday was a semiautomatic AR-15, law enforcement sources say.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 15, 2024

The Post won three Pulitzer Prizes last month, including one in national reporting for a vivid series on the impact of the AR-15 rifle.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2024

The gun rack, set between two of the eight windows, held a Remington shotgun, a Colt AR-15 assault rifle, a tear-gas gun, and many rounds of ammunition.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover