M16

American

[em-siks-teen] / ˈɛmˌsɪksˈtin /

Or M-16

Trademark.

a lightweight, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle with a caliber of .223 inches, used for fully automatic or semiautomatic fire: a U.S. Army combat weapon for mobile units since 1963.

Etymology

Origin of M16

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

See Examples For:

M16

The photo stood between M1 and M16 rifles with two green helmets resting on top of them, a symbol of a fallen soldier in battle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2023

The 5.56, commonly used in standard-issue service rifles like the M16, is built to military specifications and bears a small symbol of NATO.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 12, 2023

Chess, by and large, is a war game played by nonmartial people who would have trouble identifying the business end of an M16 or explaining the difference between an embrasure and a sally port.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 26, 2023

Meir Ayasha has a toothy grin and an M16 rifle slung over his shoulder.

From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2023

In his hands was an oversized M16 rifle.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

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