gunman

American  

[guhn-muhn] / ˈgʌn mən /

noun

plural

gunmen

1. a person armed with or expert in the use of a gun, gin, gun, especially one ready to use a gun gin gun unlawfully.

2. a person who makes guns. gun.

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gunman British  

/ ˈɡʌnmən /

noun

1. a man who is armed with a gun, esp unlawfully

2. a man who is skilled with a gun

3. a person who makes, repairs, or has expert knowledge of guns

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Other Word Forms

• gunmanship noun

Etymology

Origin of gunman

First recorded in 1615–25; gun ¹ + -man

Example Sentences

The officers were ordered not to stop the gunman because an armed response unit was being despatched from Inverness, 100 miles away.

From BBC

His group includes dozens of gunmen living in an Israeli-controlled part of Gaza.

From The Wall Street Journal

Prosecutors argued over the three-week trial that Gonzales, 52, failed to immediately confront the gunman as the first officer on the scene.

From BBC

Her family were regular attendees of Chanukah by the Sea - the festival targeted by the alleged gunmen.

From BBC

Defense attorneys argued that Gonzales took immediate action, pursuing a running figure he thought was the gunman but who turned out to be a teacher.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assassin
• hit man
• hit woman
• sniper