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

During the arrests, officers recovered an AR-style firearm and an unserialized black semiautomatic handgun believed to have been used in the shooting. —Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026

Once in the alley, the man pulled a black and silver semiautomatic handgun from his waist. —Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 24 Feb. 2026

Walz also is calling for the Legislature to re-pass a ban on binary triggers, modifications for semiautomatic rifles that fire a shot when the trigger is pulled and again while released, greatly boosting the weapon’s rate of fire. —Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026

That description matched the physical profile of one of the IDOC officers, who had a semiautomatic pistol, according to Naugle. —Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 20 Feb. 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