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

In an arrest affidavit, investigators said Victor Lee Hawkins, 20, armed with two semiautomatic handguns, walked into the lobby of the school that afternoon, told everyone to hit the ground and tried to shoot one student but was thwarted by a malfunctioning weapon. —Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026

The semiautomatic handgun was loaded with five rounds of ammunition, the DA's office said. —Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026

Following the July 4, 2022, shooting in Highland Park that resulted in seven dead and nearly 50 wounded, Illinois passed the 2023 law banning high-capacity magazines, auto sears and more than 100 types of semiautomatic rifles, handguns and shotguns. —Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026

The semiautomatic handgun deputies say the boy was carrying was reported stolen in July, the report states. —David Goodhue april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026

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