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

Last fall, a federal jury found Thompson, of Brooklyn Park, guilty of federal drug and weapons charges connected with the crash; more than 2,000 fentanyl pills and a Glock 40 semiautomatic handgun were found inside the Cadillac after the crash. —Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 6 June 2025

In addition to Maryland, eight other states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws restricting semiautomatic weapons. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 June 2025

According to The Los Angeles Times, Lauren, 51, pleaded not guilty to felony charges on Tuesday for willful discharge of a firearm in a gross negligent manner and assault of a person with a semiautomatic firearm. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025

He was convicted on three felony counts, including assault with a semiautomatic handgun. —Qasim Nauman, New York Times, 13 May 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