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
Larry then jumped out of bed and rushed at Walker, whose pistol had jammed.
—
Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
In October 2024, Wyatt Swan shot his wife with a pistol in their northeast Washington apartment, according to a Jan. 24 news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
—Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2025
Nashville police said during a news conference that Henderson, who was armed with a pistol, fired multiple shots in the cafeteria of the high school.
—Christina Shaw, Fox News, 23 Jan. 2025
Authorities said a 17-year-old male student armed with a pistol fired multiple shots in the school’s cafeteria, killing a 16-year-old female student.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pistol 
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Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
In October 2024, Wyatt Swan shot his wife with a pistol in their northeast Washington apartment, according to a Jan. 24 news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
—Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2025
Nashville police said during a news conference that Henderson, who was armed with a pistol, fired multiple shots in the cafeteria of the high school.
—Christina Shaw, Fox News, 23 Jan. 2025
Authorities said a 17-year-old male student armed with a pistol fired multiple shots in the school’s cafeteria, killing a 16-year-old female student.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pistol
Dictionary Entries Near pistol
Cite this Entry
“Pistol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pistol. Accessed 7 Feb. 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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