semiautomatic

adjective

semi·​au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik 

ˌse-ˌmī-,

-mi-

: not fully automatic: such as

a

: operated partly automatically and partly by hand

b

of a firearm : able to fire repeatedly through an automatic reloading process but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot

a semiautomatic rifle

semiautomatic noun

semiautomatically

ˌse-mē-ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌse-ˌmī-

-mi-

adverb

Examples of semiautomatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Harlem rapper, 36, was recently found not guilty on two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm in Los Angeles. —Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 22 Feb. 2025

The rapper was charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm against his former friend, Terell Ephron, known as A$AP Relli. —Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 21 Feb. 2025

The announcement comes mere days after Rocky was acquitted on two charges of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm. —Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025

Rocky's latest appointment comes after he was acquitted by a jury over two charges of felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm — as he was accused of firing a semi-automatic handgun at former friend A$AP Relli in November 2021. —Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for semiautomatic

• antidemocratic
• bacteriostatic
• heterochromatic
• idiosyncratic
• nonadiabatic
• paleoclimatic
• achromatic
• acrobatic
• adriatic
• aliphatic
• antistatic
• aromatic