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

In an interview with homicide detectives, Nixon-Clark admitted firing a white Kriss Vector, a unique semiautomatic gun, once. —Emerson Clarridge updated February 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Feb. 2026

Eric Parker, who in 2014 made a name for himself by training a semiautomatic rifle on federal agents at Bundy Ranch and who is now the head of the Real Three Percenters of Idaho, had nothing but praise for the agent who killed Good. —Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2026

Pharr faces charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon. —Richard Ramos, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

Police said a gunman arrived on a bicycle, opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun and fled, prompting an overnight manhunt. —Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 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