tommy-gun

1 of 2

verb

tom·​my-gun ˈtä-mē-ˌgən How to pronounce tommy-gun (audio)
tommy-gunned; tommy-gunning; tommy-guns
Synonyms of tommy-gunnext

transitive verb

: to shoot with a tommy gun

tommy gun

2 of 2

noun

: thompson submachine gun
broadly : submachine gun

Examples of tommy-gun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
After speeches by longtime colleagues (the F.B.I. director, Christopher Wray, presented him with a replica tommy gun), Garland spoke. — Fabio Bertoni, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening & alteration

First Known Use

Verb

1942, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tommy-gun was in 1929

Browse Nearby Words

tommy gun
tommy-gun
tommy gunner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tommy-gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tommy-gun. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

tommy gun

noun
tom·​my gun
ˈtäm-ē-ˌgən
: submachine gun

More from Merriam-Webster on tommy-gun

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