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revolver

American  
[ri-vol-ver] / rɪˈvɒl vər /

noun

  1. a handgun having a revolving revolving chambered cylinder for holding a number of cartridges, which may be discharged in succession without reloading.

  2. a person or thing that revolves.

revolver British  
/ rɪˈvɒlvə /

noun

  1. a pistol having a revolving multichambered cylinder that allows several shots to be discharged without reloading

"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 revolver

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; revolve + -er 1

Compare meaning

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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.

Like Chekhov’s revolver, he’s a harbinger of bad things happening to humans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

Pusser indeed owned a lot of guns, including a .30 carbine caliber revolver that Mike Elam managed to procure over the course of his investigation.

From Slate • Nov. 6, 2025

Jurors also heard from the officers who handled the case, from the man who found the gun and from the store clerk who sold Hunter the revolver.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2024

In his opening statement, defence lawyer Abbe Lowell said the Cobra Colt .38 revolver was an impulse buy, under pressure from a pushy gun store owner.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2024

Booth left behind no explanation for why he chose the Deringer over a revolver.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

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.