1
: a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel
broadly
: handgun
2
: a notably sharp, spirited, or energetic person
pistol
transitive verb
Examples of pistol in a Sentence
a real pistol, she dances rings around the other performers
Recent Examples on the Web
Authorities found a 9 mm pistol, three additional firearms, ammunition and two suppressors in Santos' bedroom, according to court documents.
—
Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Officers spotted Jillian Shriner in the yard of her house, located next door, holding a pistol.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
In the takedown, cops retrieved 15 semi-automatic weapons — including pistols and rifles, Bragg said, noting one of the pistols seized had a green laser beam attachment.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
Hale’s firearms included an AR-15 pistol, a semi-automatic AR pistol, a semi-automatic carbine rifle and a semi-automatic pistol.
—John Miller, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pistol
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Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Officers spotted Jillian Shriner in the yard of her house, located next door, holding a pistol.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
In the takedown, cops retrieved 15 semi-automatic weapons — including pistols and rifles, Bragg said, noting one of the pistols seized had a green laser beam attachment.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
Hale’s firearms included an AR-15 pistol, a semi-automatic AR pistol, a semi-automatic carbine rifle and a semi-automatic pistol.
—John Miller, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pistol
Cite this Entry
“Pistol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pistol. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pistol
noun
pis·tol
ˈpis-tᵊl 
: a short firearm made to be aimed and fired with one hand
Etymology
from early French pistole "pistol," from German pistole (same meaning), derived from Czech píšt'ala, literally, "pipe, fife"
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