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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.

In that matter, Keenan was prosecuting a felon for illegally possessing a handgun.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Once the officer was on the ground, he had only a handgun to defend himself, US officials said.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

They also allowed Ethan to have access to a handgun that his father had purchased.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

Pretti was armed at the time of the encounter with a legally owned handgun, according to state and federal officials.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

So much for my lucky rabbit foot, still gripped in my palm like a handgun.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle

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.