one-armed bandit

noun

ˈwən-ˈärm(d)- How to pronounce one-armed bandit (audio)
variants or less commonly one-arm bandit
ˈwən-ˈärm- How to pronounce one-armed bandit (audio)
: slot machine sense 2

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-armed bandit was in 1934

Browse Nearby Words

one-arm
one-armed bandit
on earth
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Cite this Entry

“One-armed bandit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-armed%20bandit. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on one-armed bandit

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about one-armed bandit

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