small arm

noun

: a handheld firearm (such as a handgun or shoulder arm)

—usually used in plural

Synonyms of small arm

• firearm
• gun

Examples of small arm in a Sentence

the soldiers keep their small arms securely in their holsters when not on patrol

Recent Examples on the Web

In the virtual panel discussion last week, union leaders described the Lake City facility as the largest producer of small arms ammunition for the armed forces. —Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026

View gallery - 6 images With a simple switch of a magazine, the Drone Round is claimed to turn a standard NATO caliber small arm into a drone-killing weapon that combines the scattershot of a shotgun with the speed, power and rapid fire of an infantry assault rifle. —David Szondy april 19, New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2026

News reports said the helicopters faced small arms fire but made it out safely with the pilot. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

The suspension applies to at least a part of SIG Sauer, a major small arms maker based in Switzerland and Germany. —Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for small arm

• alarm
• disarm
• forearm
• gendarme
• nonfarm
• rearm
• charm
• farm
• harm
• firearm
• underarm

Kids Definition

small arm

noun

: a firearm fired while held in the hands

—usually used in plural