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
See all Example Sentences for pistol 
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
See all Example Sentences for pistol
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 3 May. 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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