Sten gun

American

noun

a British light submachine gun.

Sten gun British

/ stɛn /

noun

a light 9 mm sub-machine-gun formerly used in the British Army and Commonwealth forces, developed during World War II

"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 Sten gun

1940–45; R.V. S(hepherd) + H.J. T(urpin) , the designers + En(field) , England

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.

Mitraillette was perched on the bonnet with one of the Sten guns propped on her knees, keeping a good lookout as usual.

From Literature

Some carried Sten guns, vicious little submachine guns originally of English manufacture.

From Project Gutenberg

The Sudanese whirled, Sten gun ready, and the boys left their chairs in a bound.

From Project Gutenberg

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