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
The stepfather told investigators that the suspect was armed with a pistol and shot him in the shoulder upon his return home, police say, according to the Clarion Ledger.
—
Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Later, a single frame released by the police in the news release appeared to show Shanahan aiming the pistol toward his head.
—The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024
She was arrested outside a Waffle House and found to be in possession of a Ruger 380 pistol containing live rounds.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Email address: Inside one pawn shop, a bespectacled clerk and two undercover police officers are shown discussing a 9 mm pistol.
—Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, 27 Mar. 2024
Dearman then managed to pry a .45 pistol from one of the victims and shot him.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, and a loaded pistol was recovered next to his body, the release stated.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024
The spokesperson added that detectives also seized roughly $6,000 in cash, ammunition and three semi-automatic pistols, including one with an extended magazine.
—Jason Green, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024
That gun, a semi-automatic pistol, belonged to a friend of Hall who was with him in Miami Beach.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Later, a single frame released by the police in the news release appeared to show Shanahan aiming the pistol toward his head.
—The Arizona Republic, 13 Apr. 2024
She was arrested outside a Waffle House and found to be in possession of a Ruger 380 pistol containing live rounds.
—Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Email address: Inside one pawn shop, a bespectacled clerk and two undercover police officers are shown discussing a 9 mm pistol.
—Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, 27 Mar. 2024
Dearman then managed to pry a .45 pistol from one of the victims and shot him.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, and a loaded pistol was recovered next to his body, the release stated.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024
The spokesperson added that detectives also seized roughly $6,000 in cash, ammunition and three semi-automatic pistols, including one with an extended magazine.
—Jason Green, The Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2024
That gun, a semi-automatic pistol, belonged to a friend of Hall who was with him in Miami Beach.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pistol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pistol
Cite this Entry
“Pistol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pistol. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
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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