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
New York lawmakers proposed legislation in May that would prohibit the sale of semiautomatic pistols that can easily be turned into automatic weapons and require firearm manufacturers to take steps to ensure their handguns cannot be easily turned into machine guns with switches.
—
Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 12 June 2024
One, from 2020, charged him with possessing a loaded pistol.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 28 May 2024
Levinger flashed a pistol and began firing wildly at nearby shops.
—Mark Mazzetti Jonathan Davis Anna Diamond David Mason, New York Times, 16 May 2024
This year’s competitions include bench press, dodgeball, air pistol, pickleball, rowing, baseball, bowling and golf, including the debut of the Ultimate Firefighter competition at the Heartland Fire Training Facility, 1301 N. Marshall Ave, El Cajon.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pistol 
Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 12 June 2024
One, from 2020, charged him with possessing a loaded pistol.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 28 May 2024
Levinger flashed a pistol and began firing wildly at nearby shops.
—Mark Mazzetti Jonathan Davis Anna Diamond David Mason, New York Times, 16 May 2024
This year’s competitions include bench press, dodgeball, air pistol, pickleball, rowing, baseball, bowling and golf, including the debut of the Ultimate Firefighter competition at the Heartland Fire Training Facility, 1301 N. Marshall Ave, El Cajon.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 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 16 Jun. 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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