firearm

American  

[fahyuhr-ahrm] / ˈfaɪərˌɑrm /

noun

1. a small arms arm weapon, as a rifle or pistol, from which a projectile is fired by gunpowder.

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firearm British  

/ ˈfaɪərˌɑːm /

noun

1. a weapon, esp a portable gun or pistol, from which a projectile can be discharged by an explosion caused by igniting gunpowder, etc

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Other Word Forms

• firearmed adjective

Etymology

Origin of firearm

First recorded in 1640–50; fire + arm ²

Example Sentences

A resident mistook the toy for a real firearm and called police to report an armed person, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Officers searching the house in Hyde Park, where Mugabe was staying, have found bullet cartridges but no firearm, police have said.

From BBC

Now the world’s oldest firearms business is taking aim at one of its biggest American rivals.

From The Wall Street Journal

Currently in Scotland guns are only issued to around 500 authorised firearms officers and the vast majority of police do not have firearms training.

From BBC

Police said separate footage from October showed the father and son "conducting firearms training in a countryside location", believed to be in New South Wales.

From BBC

Related Words

• handgun
• musket
• pistol
• revolver
• rifle
• shotgun
• weapon