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handgun

American  
[hand-guhn] / ˈhændˌgʌn /

noun

  1. any firearm that can be held and fired with one hand; a revolver or a pistol.

handgun British  
/ ˈhændˌɡʌn /

noun

  1. a firearm that can be held, carried, and fired with one hand, such as a pistol

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of handgun

First recorded in 1400–50, handgun is from the late Middle English word handgone. See hand, gun 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It backs a system introduced in New Zealand in 2012 where Glock handguns and semi-automatic rifles are stored in locked cabinets in vehicles, and officers can seek permission to access them in emergencies.

From BBC

According to the Reuters news agency, two handguns and a rifle were found at the scene near the Petrohan mountain pass, about an hour's distance from the capital Sofia.

From BBC

Authorities found two firearms - a long gun and a modified handgun - on the scene.

From BBC

In the past, Canada's justice department has reported that British Columbia - where Tumbler Ridge Secondary School is located - has the highest ownership of handguns in the country.

From BBC

He's a 16-year veteran of the war on drugs, standing ram rod straight, with a handgun in a holster around his neck - and with no illusions.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.