assault rifle

American  

noun

• assault rifles
  plural

1. a military rifle capable of both automatic and semiautomatic fire, utilizing an intermediate-power cartridge.

2. a nonmilitary weapon modeled on the military assault rifle, usually modified to allow only semiautomatic fire.

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assault rifle British  

noun

1. a semiautomatic firearm with additional features such as a large magazine, a bayonet fitting, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• assault rifles
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of assault rifle

First recorded in 1970–75

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

assault rifle

The AK-47 rifle is a good example: It was developed by Russian designers, influenced by a German assault rifle, then mass-produced by the Soviet Union’s sprawling factories.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

In the eastern state of Bihar, a police official was suspended for using an assault rifle to disperse student protesters in Siwan district on Saturday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

The Kalashnikov assault rifle is the standard-issue weapon for all military and law-enforcement branches in Iran.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026

Beside him, another police officer holds an assault rifle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 26, 2026

A young man in a beret and military fatigues knelt on one knee in the grass, holding a Russian assault rifle, watching us with mild interest.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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