ghost gun

American  

[gohst guhn] / ˈgoʊst ˌgʌn /

noun

1. a gun that does not have a serial number and cannot be easily traced, especially one assembled at home from parts purchased without a background check.

---

Etymology

Origin of ghost gun

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ghost gun

But five days after that, the DOJ notified the court in the Texas case that “the government has decided to maintain the definition” that underlies the ghost gun rule.

From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026

Manufacturers of ghost gun kits are now required to include serial numbers on their products, and perform background checks on the purchasers.

From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2024

It’s just a straw man that Oldham dreamed up to defend ghost gun buyers—whom he depicted, with a straight face, as noble, “law-abiding” gunsmiths partaking in a grand American “tradition of self-made arms.”

From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2024

Three gun companies have reached a settlement with California that permanently bars them from selling and making ghost gun kits in the state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

Elias Smith, a 24-year-old ex-Marine, had stepped to his front door with a so-called ghost gun, an AR-style rifle that Mr. Smith had assembled from parts ordered online.

From New York Times ● May 20, 2024