blunderbuss

American  

[bluhn-der-buhs] / ˈblʌn dərˌbʌs /

noun

1. a short musket of wide bore with expanded muzzle to scatter shot, bullets, or slugs at close range.

2. an insensitive, blundering person.

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blunderbuss British  

/ ˈblʌndəˌbʌs /

noun

1. an obsolete short musket with large bore and flared muzzle, used to scatter shot at short range

2. informal a clumsy unsubtle person

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Etymology

Origin of blunderbuss

1645–55; < Dutch donderbus (equivalent to donder thunder + bus gun, box ¹ ) with donder replaced by blunder. See harquebus

Explanation

A blunderbuss is an old-fashioned shotgun with a flare at the end of its muzzle. The blunderbuss was one of the most widely-used weapons from the 17th to the 19th centuries. A shorter, handgun-style blunderbuss was called a "dragon." Both this and the shotgun type blunderbuss were loaded with lead balls, or "shot," and used in military operations and even taken along on the early 1800s Lewis and Clark expedition. Blunderbuss comes from the Dutch roots donder, "thunder," and bus, "gun." Another kind of blunderbuss is a bumbling, unsubtle, or oafish action: "The blunderbuss police operation did nothing but infuriate the protesters."

Example Sentences

There is also a blunderbuss, a precursor to the shotgun, owned by Capt. Michael McClary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

Dunphy’s lawsuit, filed last month in state court in New York, “contains a blunderbuss of contradictory allegations,” Giuliani said in his written response last Friday.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2023

Life does some blunderbuss thing on a system that's less forgiving than Earth was.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2022

The Ranger ability gives Kirby a blunderbuss that he can use to snipe enemies from afar.

From The Verge • Jan. 12, 2022

“Oh, dear, what a blunderbuss I am!” exclaimed Jo, finishing Meg’s glove by scrubbing her gown with it.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• blunderer
• bumbler
• klutz
• lummox